Earl Bickford 1894 - 1918

BICKFORD

Posted By: Joe Conroy (email)
Date: 6/13/2012 at 12:52:39

Williamsburg Journal Tribune
Williamsburg, Iowa
12 Sep 1918
Page 8

Killed In Action.

Earl Bickford, of North English, Makes the Supreme Sacrifice.

Word was received at North English Saturday that Earl Bickford was killed in action in France on July 27th.

Earl was a son of Jesse Bickford, of English township, and was a member of the Rainbow Division. He was among the first of the enlisted men to be sent to France, and it is a striking fact that he and Ross Hadley enlisted in the service at the same time.

He is survived by his father and two brothers, his mother having died last spring.

Williamsburg Journal Tribune
Williamsburg, Iowa
19 Sep 1918
Page 5

A memorial service was held in the Christian church Sunday evening for Corp. Earl Bickford, who died in France, July 18th. Ernest was born at Kalona in 1894 and moved to a farm near North English when he was 3 years of age. Here he grew to manhood. In 1911 he united with the Christian church and was a faithful attendant upon the Sunday school and church services. When war was declared in 1917, he felt his country's call and enlisted, being among the first to cross the seas to France. He was a splendid young man, and one that we are all proud of. A father, one sister and three brothers are mourning their loss, the mother having preceded him in death in April.

Mrs. Warren Thomas, Ernests' Sunday school teacher, Fred Turner, B. B. Brown and Harold Miller, made some fitting remarks, showing the esteem in which he is held. Harold Miller his intimate friend pinned the gold star upon the service flag. The service was in charge of Rev. Hyten, who made a splendid address. He has made the supreme sacrifice.