Photos-11
Top photo: As noted on the photo, this group photo of the 841st, was taken in October, 1944, in France. According to the Company's History, the company was at Dombasle, France - October 4 to November 15 – for its longest stop in France. So it's likely it was taken while at Dombasle. (Thanks to Barbara, daughter of Thomas C. Plant, front row, 5th from right, for providing this photo.)
I count 171 men in this photo. The officers are in the front row center, with Capt Fuller easily identified by his helmet with double bars showing at his feet, flanked on either side by his Lieutenants. Lt. Evans Reynolds is 2nd to his right. My Dad, Hill Hammond, is in the 4th row from the bottom, and 11th from the left.
Perhaps the number difference is due to special duty assignments (guard duty, etc.) or special leave permits, as mentioned in the history:
"The weeks at Dombasle were relatively quiet ones. The depot serviced only those units in the immediate neighborhood. When work was caught up we were allowed time off, and usually only a skeleton crew operated in any section. Passes were issued to Nancy beginning at ten o'clock in the morning. Some of the men went to Luneville, by this time without question occupied by the Americans. After the first time or two in Nancy or Luneville a majority of the company was well satisfied to stay in Dombasle whenever there was any free afternoon. Our area was only a block from a movie which was run by G.l.' s, had three shows a day, and which changed programs every other day. Hot showers, in the middle of town, operated by the townspeople but taken over temporarily by the soldiers, was a popular place to go any afternoon in the week. And in Dombasle we had the added pleasure of sending our laundry out to be washed , instead of having to do it ourselves as we had for so long in the woods. The only shortage seems to have been soap, but somehow we managed that, too. As our heaviest work at Dombasle consisted of guard and K.P. it was considered necessary to inaugurate a training program to take up some of the spare time and to keep the company in condition. The schedule was neither strenuous nor did it monopolize anyone's time. (But neither was it popular!) Mostly, it consisted of calisthenics in the mornings and the reading and discussion, once a week, of the bulletin known as “Army Talks". Speaking of guard it is only fair to mention that even if the 841st had done nothing more than pull guard and K.P. while at Dombasle, guard alone, as we pulled it, would have occupied any company's time. Every day or two we'd add another outpost to our roster, and before it was over with the company guard itinerary included, as far as can be determined: The 69th Ordnance Group Headquarters, a dump at St Nicholas, the railroad station at Dombasle, the bridge at Dombasle, and our own company area.".
Bottom photo: This second photo is the same as the first but shows each person numbered in red. My Dad is # 99. Capt. Fuller is # 18. Lt. Reynolds is # 20. # 82 was the only face out of all that was blurry in the original, perhaps due to his head movement at that second. It has been reconstructed as best as possible.
The Roster lists 180 men, along with 8 officers. I know some were transferred, or left for various reasons (injuries, etc.). 18 men (not part of the 180) were transferred to the Infantry, 9 on Dec 16th, and 9 more on Dec 19th, 1944.