The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1917-12-06
Cuardsmen From Every State in
the Union Have Reached France

. With the American Army in
France, Thursday, Nov. y29.-Nation
al Guardsmen from every state in the
union have arrived in France, it is to-
day permitted to be announced. They
are among the troops now training
or lately arrived.
- While it is not permitted to dis.
close the identity of units, it may be
said that all those which sailed from
the United States have arrived safely
and that some already are in train.
ing within sound of the guns on the
battlefront. X
They are showing spirit in keep.
ing with the purpose of all concerned
to make the American expeditionary
force a homogeneous American army
in which each division, whether
regular, national guard or national
army, cannot be distinguished in
efficiency from the others. The form
er state troops are billeted over a
wide area and are pronounced excel.
lent soldiers. w. .....>
- Arriving for Weeks
The guardsmen have been arriving
in the American zone for many
weeks. They are scattered some
what, but as far as possible the units
from the same state have been kept
close together, except in one case.
They found the regular army had
made good preparations for them
and while many are billeted in
houses IN French towns, others have
been quartered in low wooden bar
racks especially erected.
The troops from the various states
have been recognized by the French
population and have been welcomed
enthusiastically. Many of the units
on arriving in billet towns wore the
French red, white and blue cockade
pinned to their campaign hats.
These were given to the soldiers
when they landed at base ports.
After a sufficient time to rest from
the journey, which in some cases
had been extremely tiresome, the
troops have been sent to work train
ing for actual service at the front.
In all quarters they are declared to
be most enthusiastic, and their SOL
dierly qualities have drawn high
praise from the French instructors.
Within Sound Of Guns
During the last four days one unit
has been working with grenades and
automatic rifles, while another has
been working out military problems
in maneuvers. Another unit has been
in the instruction trenches which
bring them as near as possible to
actual fighting conditions. Many of
the former guardsmen in training
have heard guns roaring in the dis.
lance. They are all being given the
same course of instruction as the
first contingents of regulars have
undergone. .@. - - y
The guardsmen are all in good
health. The reason why it is not
permitted to mention units by name
Is that if one is mentioned the way
is open to mention all others, which
means the revealing of Identification
numbers and other information
which is Of importance to the enemy
But for the Information of the
relatives and families of the men,
everyone who sailed from the Unit
ed States has arrived safely in
France.
Washington, Nov. 80. - Announce.
ment OF the arrival in France of the
first national guard units gives the
first official notice that an extensive
troop movement has been accomp-
lished despite hostile submarines,
shortage of troop and supply ships
and other obstacles but without the
loss of man. Thousands of men
have been moved to the seaboard
from all parts of the country, loaded
on transports and safely landed in
France without any general knowl-
edge Of the facts having been dis
closed to the country at large.
War department officials were
gratified at General Pershing's deci.
sion to announce the arrival of the
national guard forces but permission
to- publish the designation of the
guard units now at the training cen
ters in France still is withheld.
It can be stated, however, that the
brief dispatch of today covers large
movement that has been in progress
for several weeks. The next stage
will be actual occupation Of front
line trenches. -.
Guard units to be sent later will
be more sectional in character, the
grouping Of old divisional organiza-
ton having been adhered to as close
ly as possible. The entire country,
however, shares in the honor of
having it's representative units now
at the front in the world war. 4
ne ~ ~