A young soldier, identified only as "Big Nims" by the US Signal Corps, laughing at the bizarre sight of his comrades donning gas masks in August 1918.
"Big Nims" was a member of the segregated 366th Infantry Regiment, which fought with distinction in the First World War. Unlike previous segregated units, both it's ranks and officers were comprised of African-American volunteers. It existed in the segregated 92nd Infantry Division, the "Buffalo Soldiers" who deployed to France in June 1918.
It was during these first few months when this photo was taken, as the entire division conducted extensive training in preparation for trench warfare. Their baptism of fire was only weeks after "Big Nim" first saw a gas mask. At the St. Die sector, the men were shelled, gassed, and assaulted in sustained combat for the next month.
However, even in the worst of times, "Big Nim" was always still jovial, and smiling. His inspiration and courageous under fire were noted by the original caption of the photo. They never cracked, even as the Germans dropped propaganda leaflets by air pointing out that these "Negro soldiers" fighting for "freedom" at the front would not be able to enter a white movie theatre or sit on buses back home.
However hard the leaflets might have hit home, they weren't "Negro Soldiers". They were Americans soldiers. Those leaflets ended up as tinder and toilet paper. The 366th would maintain one of the most impressive disciplinary records among all other US infantry regiments of the Great War.
In September, the German offensive at the St. Die sector reached it's peak, with thousands of artillery shells (mostly mustard gas) landing on the positions of the 366th. Under the cover of high explosive and gas shells, German sturmtruppen pressed the assault. On 3 September 1918, a German raid threatened to completely overwhelm the 366th front line. "Big Nim" was there, as was Lieutenant Aaron R. Fisher. Fisher's gas mask had been rendered useless in the vicious hand to hand fighting, but he continued to lead his men as the Germans advanced under gas cover. Despite overwhelming odds, the 366th held the line.
Though he had been severely wounded and sucked in a lot of gas, Fisher survived, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, making him the most decorated black soldier in the AIF.
The entire 92nd Division was relived a few days later, having captured a large number of German prisoners, captured every objective they were ordered to take, and never ceding even an inch of ground to the enemy. The 366th would go on to fight several more campaigns, suffering dead and wounded right up into the morning of November 11th, 1918.
The identity of "Big Nim" is likely lost to history now, and it is unknown if he survived the war. However, his hearty laugh and fighting spirit can still be felt over a century later.
-Text taken from Fireforce Ventures on FB
