dˈɛm dʒˈɔɪnd ðɪ ˈɑːɹmi ɹɪzˈɜːv ˌɔn fˈɪftiːn sɛptˈɛmbɚ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹtiːn æz ɐ vˌɑːləntˈɪɹ, sˈɜːvɪŋ ɪn wˈɜːld wˈɔːɹ aɪ æz ɐ kˈɑːmbæt ˌɛndʒɪnˈɪɹ, ɹᵻtˈaɪɚɹɪŋ fɹʌm ˈæktɪv sˈɜːvɪs ɪn dᵻsˈɛmbɚ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪtiːn.
Demme joined the army reserve on 15 September 1914 as a volunteer, serving in World War I as a combat engineer, retiring from active service in December 1918.