Elmer James Criddle

1894-1918

Only Soldier from Kaysville to be Killed in Action in World War I

Elmer James Criddle was born On July 7, 1894 in Kaysville, Utah to James Alvin (1865-1941) and Elizabeth Jane Dawson Criddle (1863-1940). He married Agnes Myrtle Spackman (1897-1965) on October 3, 1917 in Salt Lake City.

Private Elmer J Criddle

He was inducted at Farmington, Davis County on November 3, 1917. He Served as a Private, US Army 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Division. He was among 12 Davis County men that left Farmington at 7:55p to travel to Camp Lewis, Wa. for training. On Dec. 12, 1917 the Davis County Clipper announced Elmer and Howard Larkin were now at Long Island, NY. According to a letter from Elmer to Mrs. Irvin Earl he states he was at Camp Lewis in Nov. 1917, spent Christmas in England and was in France on New Years 1918. The letter dated August 5, 1918 says he was in the hospital injured, gassed and his face badly burned, but was getting along nicely.

On November 3, 1918 Elmer J. Criddle was among those Missing In Action in France. The family received a letter in February 1919 stating he was still among the missing.

Elmer’s official date of death is July 18, 1918. He is commemorated in Perpetuity at Aisne-Marne American Cemetery Belleau, France, Chapel, Tablets of the Missing.

In November of 1919 The American Legion, Elmer Criddle Post 82 was organized and named in his honor. Near the entrance of the Kaysville Cemetery is the American Flag Pole and benches, donated by the American Legion, and a plaque commemorating Elmer J. Criddle.

Sources

  • “Remembering Our Fallen Kaysville Soldiers World War I”, Our Kaysville Story Facebook post by Kristine Murdock, November 7, 2018.
  • Photos courtesy: Ancestry.com, Newspapers as cited.