NEW BRITAIN MARKS ‘ARMISTICE AT 100’
NEW BRITAIN – When Cpl. J. Robert Conroy returned to New Britain at the end of World War I, he had two missions: Helping soldiers who had suffered, and spreading the word of Stubby, the dog that saved American troops and French civilians.
“My grandfather never spoke about himself in the war, never. But he made it clear the war was horrific, and that he never would have made it through without Stubby,” said Curt Deane, his grandson.
Like several million Americans who fought in The Great War, Conroy came back to resume civilian life — in his case, that meant a career with the FBI. But more than 116,000 lost their lives, including 123 from New Britain.
This weekend, the city will join with veterans groups to honor those who served — and especially those who didn’t return. Sunday is precisely 100 years since the war ended with the signing of the Armistice, and the city is hosting ceremonies and gatherings with an “Armistice at 100” theme.
“To me, this weekend’s remembrance is about our city, about its citizens and veterans, its schools and industry, and the cultures — all of whom are represented in some way by our monument to this war,” said Thomas Higgins Jr., president of the New Britain Veterans Council.
“New Britain remembers and honors her veterans,” said Dennis Taricani, commander of the Hardware City chapter of the DAV. “Armistice Day, which is now Veterans Day, started 100 years ago – the end of The Great War, the war to end all wars.”
The city and veterans are hosting a service Sunday at 10:30 a.m. at the WWI memorial at Walnut Hill Park.
Veterans will ring bells for the 123 New Britain soldiers and sailors who died in the war. Mayor Erin Stewart, Brig. General Ralph Hedenberg III of the Connecticut National Guard, and local veterans commission member John Buckley.
Seven l ocal veterans organizations will place wreaths and the New Britain High School’s band will play Taps.
On Saturday, the veterans council will hold a military-style dress ball and remembrance dinner at 5:30 p.m. at VFW Post 511. After Sunday’s ceremony, Elks Lodge 957 will host a luncheon.
Descendants of several New Britain WWI veterans will be attending the weekend activities, some coming from out of state, Higgins said. Deane plans to be among them, he said.
Deane works to keep alive the memory of Stubby, a stray puppy in New Haven who became famous as the nation’s first war dog.
Conroy adopted Stubby during military training in New Haven, and brought the dog along when the 102nd Infantry Regiment was sent overseas.
Stubby has become the subject of books and a movie for his role as the 102nd’s mascot. Veterans of the time credited him with barking to alert the unit when enemy shelling began or just as poison gas was being deployed. Soldiers in Conroy’s unit came to rely on Stubby, and he became a canine celebrity after the war.
“Stubby spent a tremendous amount of time in the trenches, and he was wounded. When my grandfather talked about the war, it was always through the eyes of the dog — he kept telling me about all the things Stubby did for his unit,” Deane said. “He was the first therapy dog. My grandfather said the guys would look forward to holding him, talking to him, petting him.”
Conroy eventually settled in Florida and, after his career, created the Carry On Club, a social and support group for veterans of the 102nd. Deane said his grandfather pressed for Vietnam War veterans to receive the sort of homecoming and follow-up care that WWI veterans didn’t get.
“He didn’t want Vietnam veterans to suffer t he indignities. Some of the World War 1 veterans came back with shell shock — before it was called PTSD — and people just didn’t understand it,” Deane said. “It was very hard for them to get employment.”