Helmuth Molthe Aukes

Military Service
War: WWI
Branch: U.S. Army
Company: Co I, 119th Infantry
Entered: 25 February 1918

Personal Details
Born: 21 September 1890
Died: Killed In Action: 19 October 1918
Parents: Dirk E. and Maria (Sents) Aukes

Buried:
1918
Cemetery in France
Remains later sent home and re-buried:
15 April 1921
Pleasant Valley United Methodist Church Cemetery
Pleasant Valley Township, Grundy County, Iowa

Helmuth Aukes writes from Camp Sevier, South Carolina. He is feeling fairly good. This country is about 100 years behind in farm buildings, and no country to farm at all. The soil has a red color. They raise mostly cotton here. This camp is no Camp Dodge. We are waiting for our tents to be put up. The weather is just as cold just now as at home. The way they talk around here we will not stay very long here before we will be sent across.

--The Grundy Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 25 April 1918, pg 6

Helmuth Aukes is reported to be at Richmond, Va.

--The Grundy Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 23 May 1918, pg 6

D. E. Aukes has received a letter from his son, Helmuth, stating that he is well. He is with the American Expeditionary Forces in France.

--The Grundy Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 4 July 1918, pg 6

Helmuth Aukes, who is in France with the American Expeditionary Force, is in Company I of the 119th U.S. Infantry.

-- Grundy County Dispatch (Grundy Center, Iowa), 17 July 1918, pg 5

D. E. Aukes has received a card from his son, Helmuth, dated September 5, saying that he has been at the front several days. "Had good luck," is the way he tells of how he fared. Helmuth has been made a corporal and is all right to date.

--Grundy County Dispatch (Grundy Center, Iowa), 16 October 1918, pg 5

D. E. Aukes has received a card of beautiful design from his son Helmuth, dated Sept. 5, saying that he has been at the front several days. "Had good luck" is the way he tells of how he fared. Helmuth has been made a corporal and is all right to date.

--The Grundy Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 17 October 1918, pg 6

Helmuth Aukes Killed

Dies In Action In France October 23rd

Was Son of D. E. Aukes, Well Known German Township Farmer

Helmuth Aukes of German township has made the supreme sacrifice for this country on the battlefield in France. He was killed in action in France October 23rd. Message to that effect was received here Saturday. Helmuth was the son of D. E. Aukes, well known German township farmer. His mother died some years ago. He was just past twenty-eight years old, having been born September 21, 1890.

Helmuth left Grundy Center as one of the company of fifty-seven boys who departed February 26th for Camp Dodge. That particular contingent has suffered more deaths than any other contingent that went out of Grundy County. Helmuth is the fifth boy of that splendid company to die in the service. The other four died of disease. They were as follows: Fred Engelkes, Dan Nederhoff, Menno Wilts, John J. Frerichs. The rally held in honor of these fifty-seven boys was at the skating rink and the speaker of the day was Prof. Shimek of Iowa City.

Helmuth was originally in Company A of the 351st Infantry. He crossed to France with that company and went into action and was killed while a member of same.

--The Grundy County Dispatch (Grundy Center, Iowa), 13 November 1918, pg 1

Gold Star Added To Service Flag

Helmuth Aukes Gives His Life in Defense of His Country

Was Killed In France

He Lived in German Township and Later Enlisted From Grundy

Mr. Dirk Aukes, of German township, received word the latter part of last week that his youngest son, Helmuth M. Aukes, had died in France, October 19th, from wounds received in action. The news came in a letter from the Red Cross nurse who attended Helmuth during his last hours.

The circumstances briefly stated were that several American soldiers were in a dugout eating their supper when a German shell struck the place and all were either killed instantly, or died shortly afterwards. Helmuth lived a few hours after his injury and during that time sent some loving messages to his aged father that showed he had met an honorable and Christian death.

Helmuth Aukes was the youngest son of Dirk Aukes. His mother died some years ago and previous to entering the army he lived with his father on the farm in German township. He was born Sept. 21, 1890, and was a little over 28 years of age. He enlisted Feb. 26th, 1918, and was a private in Co. A 351st Infantry.

The aged father has the heartfelt sympathy of a wide circle of friends in his great bereavement.

--The Grundy Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 14 November 1918, pg 1

From Helmuth Aukes' Nurse

October 19, 1918
47 C. C. S., B. E. F.

Dear Mr. Aukes:

I am very sorry to inform you of the death of your dear son, Corporal H. Aukes, 2157184, 119th Inf. Regt.

He was admitted this morning in a very weak collapsed condition with shell wound of side, the shell penetrating the bowel.

Everything that was possible was done to try and save him but he gradually became weaker and died at 2:55 this afternoon. We were all so sorry he was such a dear boy.

He was quite conscious all the time. He said tell father how I was wounded and ask him to let the others know. He was sitting with some others in a dugout having their supper when a shell burst and wounded them all.

He also said tell father I hope I'll pull through, if it is God's will I shall. Poor boy, he was dying at the time, but he had very little pain.

It is one consolation to you to know he was brought to the hospital, where he was well cared for and his last hours made easier for him.

I pray that God will help you all to bear this great sorrow. Accept my deepest sympathy at this time.

Yours Sincerely,
J. Gray, Nurse

--Grundy County Dispatch (Grundy Center, Iowa), 27 November 1918, pg 5

One of the American soldiers, Helmuth Aukes, who now sleeps in eternal rest in French soil, having given his life for his country, will be missed at the dedication ceremonies of the Evangelical church northeast of Wellsburg, to be held on February 2nd. Helmuth often mentioned that he would like to be back when the church was to be dedicated, in his letters.

--The Grundy Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 22 January 1919, pg 6

On Sunday, Feb. 2nd, occurred the dedication of the Evangelical church in Pleasant Valley township north of town. On Saturday evening, memorial services were held for Helmuth Aukes, one of our boys who was killed in action in France.

--The Grundy Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 6 February 1919, pg 4

D. E. Aukes received from Geo. A. Geerdes this week the county medal which was given to every soldier of the county in the war. Mr. Aukes is one of those who must keep the medal as a sad momento for Helmuth, his son who lost his life in France, was the one for whom it was intended.

--The Wellsburg Herald (Wellsburg, Iowa), 12 May 1920, pg 5

Helmuth Aukes Laid To Rest

The funeral of Helmuth Aukes, whose body arrived from the east last Friday morning at 2 o'clock, was held at the Evangelical church in Pleasant Valley at 2:30 that day.

The pall bearers were Harm Rust, John Schmidt, Wierd Smidt, Sander deNeui, Harm Diekman and Dick Diekman.

The church was filled to its capacity by the friends and neighbors of the Aukes family, among whom the dead young man was known and respected for his high character, modest demeanor and friendly helpful disposition.

The sermon was delivered by Rev. E. Nolte, the new pastor of the church. It is given in full below. (transcriber elected to not include this transcription)

The quartette from Cedar Falls, composed of four pastors of the different towns hereabouts, was the same as that which sang at the dedication of the English-speaking church of Wellsburg. The selections they gave were well rendered and chosen with the best of taste.

After the services in the church building, the soldiers took the body to the grave, where military honors were shown, by the firing of three volleys over the casket and the blowing of taps by the bugler.

The members of the firing squad were Henry W. Ross, Fred Brechbiel, Earl Bausman, John Heinrich, Ehne Schoolman, Chas. Marquard, Dick W. Riekena and Andrew Kruger. John Doyen acted as bugler. C. W. Ross was in charge of the squad.

An Impressive Service
The funeral was attended by a large number of persons, despite the cold drizzle that afterward turned into a snow storm. There were over forty young men in uniform at the funeral, comrades of the dead young man, who died in action in France. They formed in two lines at the church and made a path of honor between them as the coffin was carried in by the soldier pall bearers to the chancel, where it lay in state as the funeral service was carried out. The soldiers then occupied the east side of the church, all grouped into one body, in the uniforms worn during their personal service in the army.

It was a wonderful showing of the feeling of comradeship among our young soldier element, to brave the long ride over rough muddy roads which most of them made, to stand at attention in the wintry blast after the body was taken to the grave, all in the spirit of honor for their comrade who had given his life for the same star spangled banner which was draping his dead body before them. He had made the supreme sacrifice which might have come to any one of them and no thought was paid by them to the lowering sky, the chilling blasts of the wind nor the sting of the sleet and snow. They carried through their program without any show of wavering as simply, steadily and impressively as though the sky was blue and sunshine bright.

With sober dignified mien they listened to the sermon given by Rev. E. Nolte. They paid close attention to every word. Every one of them caught his message to them to be real patriots.

And yet, the silent casket with its glory of beautiful flowers was to each and every one of them, no doubt, a far more impressive object-lesson of what patriotism really is and means. For they, too, each one of them, had placed his life in jeopardy for that same flag for which Helmuth Aukes died.

They too had, each one, passed through the same tasks of the soldier that he went through during the months that passed from the time he left his home in peaceful Pleasant Valley to go to the training camp, then on to the front, to be caught into the fearful maelstrom of war where with 50,000 comrades he gave his all to his country's service.

The soldier boys better than any others, knew what that solent coffin said, in its very silence more eloquent than a thousand silver-toned orators.

And for the older ones among the congregation, some of whom had sons in that guard of honor, there was sympathy for the gray haired father, bereft of his youngest in his prime, mingled with thankfulness that their own has been returned to them safely.

The lesson was for all--both old and young--and it was an impressive one.

--The Wellsburg Herald (Wellsburg, Iowa), 20 April 1921, pg 1

Pay Last Respects To Soldier Dead

The People of Wellsburg and Pleasant Valley Township Pay Last Tribute to Helmuth Aukes on Friday of Last Week

In Spite of Rain and Snow and Driving Wind, a Large Crowd Present--The Funeral Service Conducted in Military Style

Mr. and Mrs. W. F. Benz and Mrs. Dan Fritzel, of this place, went to Wellsburg last Friday to attend the funeral services over the remains of Helmuth Aukes, whose body was received from France on the early morning train Friday.

Helmuth Aukes was killed while in the trenches in France. The body was interred in one of the cemeteries in that country, and was recently exhumed and prepared for shipment to America. The remains were encased in a hermetically sealed metal casket, which was inside of an oak casket, and both were inside of a two-inch pine box. The shipment was met at the train in Wellsburg by a body-guard of soldiers of the World War, this body-guard consisting of C. W. Ross, H. W. Ross, Andrew Kruger, Wiert Schmidt, Harm Rust and Dick Riekena.

In spite of the storm which prevailed that day, a large number of friends of the young man gathered at the Evangelical church four miles north and one mile east of Wellsburg at two o'clock Friday afternoon to pay their last respects to the dead soldier. About fifty men of the World War were present in uniform. The sermon was preached by the pastor of the church, Rev. Nolte, and a quartet of four ministers sang. The services were in charge of the American Legion and was a strictly military service. A guard fired three volleys as the body was being lowered into the grave.

The deceased was the son of one of the pioneer settlers of Pleasant Valley township, and was a young man who was highly respected by all who knew him. He made the supreme sacrifice in order that the world should be saved from autocracy and militarism, and in spite of unfavorable weather conditions or other hindrances, he was deserving of every honor bestowed upon his lifeless form last Friday.

--The Grundy County Dispatch (Grundy Center, Iowa), 20 April 1921, pg 1