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PRIVATE LOUIS J. CERTAIN
JR. was born in New Jersey in 1896 to Louis J. and Rose Certain. The
family was living at 106 West Street in March of 1906 when their home
suffered fire damage as a result of the fire
that destroyed the old Sixth Regiment Armory at West
and Mickle
Streets. At
the time of the 1910 Census, the family lived at 10 Park Place in
Camden. The elder Certain worked as a house carpenter, while his wife
listed an occupation of "washer woman" to a private family.
Also at home were older brother Grover C. 16, and sister Louise, both
already working by the time the census was enumerated.
Louis J. Certain Jr. was
living at 337 Spruce
Street in Camden NJ prior to enlisting in the old
3rd Regiment, National Guard of New Jersey in June of 1917. He was sent
to Camp Edge at Sea Girt NJ on July 25, after which he and the rest of
his unit were sent to Camp McClellan, Anniston AL where they became the
114th Infantry Regiment.
Private Louis J. Certain
was
killed in action on October 12, 1918 while serving with the 114th
Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division. This unit was part of the
attack on German positions near Verdun on October 8, 1918 known as the
Battle of the Argonne Forest.
The 29th Infantry Division's account record has the following account
for October 12 1918:
The
114th Infantry, 29th Division was attached to the 18th French Division,
moved from its bivouac in the Cotee des Roches into position in the
Ravin de Coassinvaux on the night of the 11th-12th October preparatory
to an attack upon the Bois d'Ormont, which the Division had been ordered
to make at 0700hrs on the 12th. In conjunction with the 66th French
Infantry, the 114th moved to attack at the hour designated.
The objective of the 114th was the enemy line between Bois d'Ormont and
Bois d'Moirey. The enemy has established a very strong dug in concrete
line of machine guns. The French artillery unit providing preparatory
fire had a severe shortage of artillery ammunition. The small amount
that was actually fired was placed to far behind the enemy lines*. The
artillery had very little effect on the enemy machine gun line and
caused very little damage. The 1st Company of the 111th Machine Gun
Battalion began its advance on Bois d'Ormont to support the 114th
advance but was forced to pull back after only five minutes due to the
heavy German Artillery. After just five minutes eleven 111th men were
killed.
The 114th eventually made it into Bois d'Ormont but the cost was very
high. Six officers and 112 enlisted men were killed, twelve officers and
800 enlisted men were wounded in the engagement.
On
October 12, 1918 the Bois d'Ormont was conquered at the cost of
118 casualties. Private Certain and several other Camden County
men were of that number.
Private Louis Certain was survived by his mother, Mrs. Rose Certain of 725
North 11th Street, Philadelphia PA, a brother, Grover C., and sisters
Ida and Louise. Grover Certain was living in Philadelphia in April of
1930. He later moved to California.
Louis Certain was brought
home in 1921 and after services in Camden at the Church
of the Immaculate Conception was buried at Calvary Cemetery in
Delaware Township (present-day Cherry Hill), New Jersey with full
military honors.
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