Thomas F. Joyner
30th Division
120th Infantry
Company B
Tom Joyner from Nash County NC served in France from May 12, 1918 to Apr 11, 1919. Tom’s son saw an article in the paper about the Veterans Day ceremony where the Veterans’ Legacy Foundation presented the descendent of the WWI veteran a Purple Heart for wounds received during the war. The son knew his father had been wounded. It was determined that Tom Joyner was wounded on October 18, 1918. The Purple Heart was (posthumously) awarded during a ceremony in Raleigh, NC at the State Capitol. Tom’s son, who incidentally is also named Thomas Joyner, also received his father’s WWI Victory medal with Defense Sector, Somme Offensive battle and the Ypres-Lys battle clasps as well as the NC WWI Service Medal.
The following is an excerpt from the Official History of the 120th Infantry:
“On the night of October 15-16 orders were received for an attack by the Division on the morning of the 17th. The 59th Brigade took over the line in the same place it had been turned over to the 27th Division, and the entire divisional front was the front of this Regiment in the last operation.
On the afternoon of the 16th the Regiment moved from Brancourt to a wooded area on west of railroad and west of Becquigny; during the night the woods were shelled by the enemy, and some casualties were inflicted.
On the morning of the 17th the Regiment was formed up with the 2nd Battalion on the right, the 1st Battalion on the left, and the 3rd Battalion in support. The 59th Brigade attacked at zero hour behind a creeping barrage, and supported by tanks storming the heights of the La Selle River. This Regiment, following the 118th at 2,000 yards, was to pass through and carry on when they reached their objective, but as the 118th Infantry did not reach their objective this Regiment did not pass through. On the night of the 17th the line held by the 118th Infantry was taken over by this Regiment; the 119th taken over from the 117th Infantry on the right, the 27th Division (American) being on the left of this Regiment. At 5:30 A. M. on the mornings of the 18th and 19th the Regiment attacked successfully, taking the town of Mazinghein, and advancing to heights west of Caillon and overlooking the Sambre Canal. The country fought over was very similar to that in the vicinity of Vaux Andigny, and the desperate resistance of the enemy resulted in but few prisoners being taken–practically all of the enemy having to be killed.
One battalion of the 118th Infantry was furnished this Regiment as a reserve, but it never became necessary to use it, so during the entire fighting it followed this Regiment at about 1,000 yards.
The Division had now become so depleted in strength it was withdrawn to be refilled and refitted, the line being taken over by the 1st British Division…”
Raleigh, N Carolina (2013)
Comments