Batten, Augustus

Description

Augustus George Batten was born on September 15, 1898, in Rye, New York, to Catherine Ellis, age 41, and William Henry Batten, age 46. He had four brothers and three sisters. In Rye his family lived at 6 School Street and were members of Christ Church.

Augustus enlisted October 17,1918 and served as Private in the U.S. Army during World War I.
He was assigned to the Student Army Training Corps (SATC) at New York University, a program established to provide military training and academic instruction to young men preparing for potential service as part of the American Expeditionary Forces.

The SATC represented a late-war initiative designed to expand the pool of trained soldiers and technically educated personnel. Balls’ service coincided with the final weeks of World War I, and there is no record of overseas deployment or combat engagement. He served stateside and was honorably discharged on December 10, 1918, shortly after the Armistice.

His service reflects the experience of younger inductees who entered the Army during its final expansion phase and contributed to its training and readiness infrastructure.

His brother Charles A Batten was a member of The 42nd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada) and was killed in action August 26, 1918

Augustus graduated Columbia University and would become an ordained minister in May of 1923. He enlisted again On June 12, 1943 and served as a Chaplain with the rank of Captain in the US Army during WWII.

Church Minister Enlistment Date 1: 12 Jun 1943, Release Date 1: 19 May 1946

Augustus George Batten died on January 25, 1985, in Walden, New York, at the age of 86, and was buried in Greenwood Union Cemetery in Rye, NY.