The Evolution of a Doughboy Reenactor

“How did you get started?”   Hands down the most common question I get asked at any event I go to.

Well, from a young age I was fascinated by military history and its evolution through the ages.

Eli Taylor

Few events have changed warfare more than WWI.   In just four short years horses and wagons were replaced by trucks and cavalry was replaced with tanks.   No more did large units of men fight in open fields, it changed to fire and maneuver tactics with smaller elements of men.   Pilots became the new ‘Knights’ in the air.

Before I get too far ahead let me tell you how I started.   I started with my uniform in 2023 as a senior year project.   The uniform is an impression of a 1918 US AEF soldier.   From helmet to boot, it is all exact replicas of the uniform and gear.  The rifle, however is original, a M1917 Enfield chambered in 30-06 and it was made in August of 1918.  Besides putting the uniform together I also was tasked with writing an essay on a specific event from WW1.

As a born and raised New Yorker (not from the city, but from Upstate in the Catskill Mountains), I chose the 77th Division and the Lost Battalion.

The 77th was a division of draftees from New York City.   They were made up of Polish, Irish, German, Russian, and Italian men. According to some reports up to 50 ethnic groups were represented and 43 languages were spoken.  All of them from different walks of life from doormen to lawyers.   They were the first Division of the ‘National Army’ to arrive at the front in April of 1918.   From then they would fight almost non-stop until November 11th.

The Lost Battalion refers to 554 men of the division who were trapped behind enemy lines on October 2nd of 1918.  From the 2nd until the 7th they fought completely surrounded and outgunned.  In the end, after surviving near constant attacks, friendly fire, and even an attack from the infamous ‘Strumtroppen’ (Stormtroppers), they were rescued by friendly forces.   On the 8th of October roughly 190 men walked out under their own power, 260 were carried out, 107 were KIA, and 63 were MIA.

Since putting my uniform together I have participated in three speaking events and three reenactments.   One at my local historical society, the next was at Gettysburg PA on the front lawn of the Eisenhower home, and finally at the WWI Memorial in Washington D.C., where I had the pleasure to meet Lt. Col. Gerald York, the grandson of WWI hero Alvin York.

WWI reenactment site in Newville, PA.

All of my reenacting events have taken place in Newville, P.A. about 30 minutes West of Carlisle.   The events are technically called immersion events, meaning no spectators are allowed and it is treated like two days in the trenches of the western front complete with fake artillery, real aircraft, and gas attacks as well.    There are reenactors that represent almost every country involved.   There are British, Australian, Scottish, Irish, American, Russian, Serbian, French, Italian, German and Austrian units.       I am a member of the 80th Division also known as the Blue Ridge Doughboys.

Even though I feel like I’ve just started, I’m excited about what I have done and look forward to more events in the future.