The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-07-10
PRESENT l4TH co.
 WITH BANNER FOR
 SKILL AT TARGETS
Excellence With 12 Inch Guns Merits Commenda-
 tion from Army Officers.

full service target practice on the 12 inch rifle guns at Fort H. G. Wright
 during the encampment of the Con necticut Coast Artillery corps in June,
 1914, the members of the Second Go.
 of this city, formerly the 1 4th Co.,, was
 presented with a handsome silk ban ner last night The presentation was made at the State Armory in the pres
 ence of many military notables. A
 battalion review was afterward ten
 dered Colonel Henry S. Dorsey, the commandant of the corps.
 The banner was prepared by Adju- tant-Genera1 George M. Cole at the the war department had authorized 1t
 The banner is of red silk and bears this inscription in gold letters: High Figure of Merit 1914, Fourteenth Company,
 Connecticut Coast Artillery Militia Colonel Dorsey in presenting the
 banner said it is a trophy that should
 be treasured by every member of the
 command. He said the banner typi- fled the high state of efficiency to which the company had been develop ed and that the high mark of three
 hits in three shots at a range of 5000 yards, a performance never equalled
 by any militia organization, is due to fine team work.
 Captain Louis J. Brague, who ac- cepted the banner for the company,
 thanked the colonel and the state of
 dcers and said that the banner will
 be one of the conpany's most cher ished possessions He said he hoped l the banner would be an incentive for E the members to perform their best work and if they could not equal their former record he hoped some company of the Conn ecticut corps may.
 Adjutant William N. Potter formed the battalion shortly after 8 /o'clock.
 The Fourth Go, Captain A. c. Ben nett; Second Co.,, Captain Louis J. Brague. and Eleventh Go. Captain B. Stanley Hall. When he presented the battalion to Major Louis J, Hermann
 the latter formed the companies in a
 hollow square for the presentation Afterward the review took. place, fol lowed by evening parade and retreat.
 The Coast Artillery corps band fur
 nished music and later some of it's members, as an orchestra,pl dance
 music. Among the visiting officers
 were Colonel Dorsey, Lie1tenant-Col-
 onel Vincent M. King, of Danbury: Captain F. L.. Dengler, U. S. A., in l structor-inspector Connecticut c. A, C.; Major F. J. Adams and Captain
 F. w. Stevens of the medical corps; Captains Albert Mossrnan of Norwa1k: First Lieutenant Hugh M. Bell, of New London: First Lieutenant Joseph M.
 Harrison, First Lieutenant F. D. Bar rows. Second Lieutenant Miles G. Thompson, Second Lieutenant H. D.
 Criswoid. The other officers of the
 Second Go. besides Captain Prague, are: Philip B. Bronson and Second Lieutenant Arthur L. I4aRocque. 1 Following the presentation last l night ice cream and cake were served in the par1ors of the Second Co. and the other commands at the arnory kept open house in their company rooms A flash light photograph of the company with the banner was
 made.
 Because Of weather conditions the 14th or Second Co, .,as 1t is now known, 1 was unable to fire during the practice 1 at camp this summer. Tn explanation of that fact Captain Dengler. I. s. A, cut c. A C.,issued the following state ment last night
 With reference to the recent an nual training period and service tar get practice of the Connecticut Coast l Artillery corps, of which the f4th Go,
 stationed at Bridgeport. Conn. is 2 1 unit. it is probably now known to the
 public generally that this organization did not engage in service firing al Fort H. e, Wright, New York. June 10-19, 1af5.E
 .F'eaEfng that the uIlinformed might arrive at the conclusion that the 14th Go. did not fire on account of lack oi leadership, character of personnel or training, I feel it my duty to state that this organization was in point of char
 acter of personnel, training. leader ship, and general efficiency, fully qua1- ified for service target practice, but was prevented from firing on account of the adverse weather conditions
 which render service practice danger ous.
 ssThts statement is made for the purpose of informing the Bridgeport I pu bile which has exhibited, and is now exhibiting a. commendable interest in the Connecticut Coast Artillery corps, that it's company has in no wise deter iorated dn. or failed to attain a satis- factory degree of efficiency, and was prevented from demonstrating it's
 value as 9 state and national defense 1 asset by circumstances over which it had absolutely no control. ..