Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-10-20
Leslie A. Hicks Says Regiment
Expects to See the French
Front in January

Interesting lights on the training life
Of the California Grizzlies. crack field
artillery regiment Of the Bear state,
E|3hOwn in a letter received here
TINS week from Leslie 4. Hicks. gradu-
ate Of the College OF Hawaii last June
and star football man. Young Hicks
Is a corporal In the regiment.
Working his way TO the coast last
summer On one OF the former German
freighters that had been tied up in
Honolulu, he arrived a tritle too late
TO Join the regiment OF Western en-
gineers that formed last spring Tor
duty in France. lie had majored in
engineering in the local college. 4
few weeks afterwards he enlisted in
the California artillery.
Il am writing this in the y. NJ. {. A.
tent where some two hundred other
fellows are doing likewise or talking
and playing the phonograph," he says,
so this may be somewhat jumbled.
Praises Army Y. NJ. c. A.
While I think about IL | want to
say a word Of appreciation for the
Army Y. NJ. c. A. They have two
large tents furnished with long tables
and benches where the fellows con-
gregate in the evenings 10 write let
tiers and read the latest magazines.
For the musicalIy inclined there are a
piano and photograph.
Every evening there is entertainment
OF some kind. vaudeville. moving pic.
lures and so on. The boys certainly
appreciate IL II you can Judge by the
enthusiastic applause they give all
wha>tSy to entertain them.
Nt9y night the benches at the
writing tables are packed with Fellows
who haven't forgotten the folks at
home. For after the days work is
over and the sweat and dirt are wash
ed off and hearty meal slowed away
and the old pipe is drawing smoothly,
then a fellows thoughts drift pleasant
ly homeward. Then the strain of fight.
ing wind and dust and sun and plung.
ing horses and cranky guns drops
from your tired brain and body and
you live in the past The natural i'm
pulse is TO write to those who are in
your thoughts. II you are fortunate,
as am tonight, in finding ten inches
OF space unoccupied on the end Of
bench.
What shall I tell you about the
grizzlies II you have heard nothing of
them you will want to know who and
what they are.
THE grizzlies are a regiment Of
field artillery, organized and recruited
without federal or state aid by the
people OF California. The regiment is
made up OF six batteries Of about 40
men each and medical corps. supply
company and headquarters company.
Each battery is to be equipped. very
soon we hope, with four field pieces OF
a caliber corresponding TO the French
millimeter guns. The guns and its &C.
companying caisson are each drawn
by string OF six horses. The horses
are all saddled and driver rides the
near horse OF each team, lead, swing
and wheel. On the gun and its timber
ride the gunner corporal and four gun
riers. On the caisson and its timber
ride four extra gunners, while the Gals
son corporal rides separate mount,
boot-to-boot with the driver Of the
lead team OF the caisson, The SER
geant in command OF the gun section
is on a separate mount and rides boot
to-boot with the driver of the lead
team OF the gun. or piece, as It is
technically named. .-...:.. Il
All Branches Represented f..
"A gun section thus consists of a
gun, caisson, IL horses, IA men. cor.
porals and one sergeant. The balance
OF the two hundred men not in.
th4four gun sections handle supplies
and ammunition and do signal work.