Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1918-04-05
WILDWOOD'S WELCOME
TO SOLDIER BOYSO
Battery D, Second Trench Mortar Battalion, From
Fort DUPONT, Delaware, Reached Wildwood on
Easter Monday by Special Train as Scheduled :
Magnificent Military Display and Parade

ooltCl Il ot" pOa 1lOuL LO1l 1ol OhI at III Noiy hOai
on Monday morning, April 1st, 1913, being conveyed across
the Delaware on a Government vessel. Arriving at Salem
a Pennsylvania special of four coaches hurried the boys to
Wildwood, where at 1870 o'clock they were met by the
Mayor and his associate commissioners, the members of the
reception committee, the Wildwood City Band, and a large
contingent of citizens, many of whom were friends and rela-
tives of the soldiers.
Proceeding down Oak avenue the company was led to
their point of rendezvous at Hotel 'Seacrest, where they
broke ranks and repaired to their various assignments for
lunch. Shortly after 1 p. m. the different units of the parade
began to assemble on Pacific avenue in front of Hotel Sea-
crest, under the direction of Marshal J. Albert Harris and
his first aide, William H. Austin.
Promptly at Las orders were given to march, the mar
shall and his aide leading the procession, followed by Wild
woods Chief of Police, with all the members of his force
Next in line was the Wissahickon Barracks Naval Band,
~thirty-two pieces, from Cape May naval base, headed by
bandmaster F. c. Deegler. Behind the band appeared a
company of sixty reserve sailors, from the Cape May Bar
racks, under command of Ensign King Allen, all delegated
to act as escort and to do police duty for the visiting bat
terry. The route of the parade was as follows:
Down Oak avenue to Atlantic avenue, to Maple, te
Pacific, down Pacific to Andrew avenue, from which latter
point a countermarch was made on Pacific avenue as far a
Oak. The line was then carried out Oak avenue past the
Pennsylvania and Reading railroad stations to Wildwood
public park, where the order of the day was concluded
On the countermarch, when the parade reached the High
school building, it was reinforced by the accession of a large
body of pupils from the Wildwood public schools, estimated
at four hundred, in charge of E. Yenney, I'd aide of the
marshal, together with a delegation of twenty-four members
of the Ladies Red Cross Auxiliary, all in uniform. The big
High school flag was borne by a platoon of sixteen boys and
was a unique feature of that part of the procession.
An invocation by Rev. I. H. Fisher, pastor of the Wild
wood Baptist church, consecrating the new service banner
opened the exercises at the park. At the close of his prayer
the service flag was unfurled, and in conjunction with the
Stars and Stripes, was slowly hoisted to the top of the flag
pole at the eastern end of the park, while the marine band
played the National Anthem. A military salute was then
fired by a detachment of the troops, after which the entire
company participated in a drill of elaborate proportions
eliciting the admiration of all observers, because of the de-
gree of efficiency shown; all evolutions being executed with
dash and precision. The drill was conducted by Captain
Leslie S. Caldwell, assisted by Lloyd Harris, first lieutenant
The ardent military spirit evinced by all the participants in
the maneuvers, seemed to be contagious and to spread to
the devoted enthusiasts outside the lines.
1t must not be forgotten to say that the service banner
consisted of a white field, surrounded by a wide red border
In the center of the white field there is a large star with
points of blue, where appear the numerals 200, representing
approximately the quota of Wildwoods battery.
Robert G. Pierpont, president of the Wildwood War
Savings Society, chairman of the reception committee, and
master of ceremonies, then introduced the speakers of the
day, who, with the other guests of honor, were gathered in
the city park pavilion. The address of welcome was deliv.
cred by ex-Congressman J. Thompson Baker, who was fol-
lowed by ex-Sherif William H. Bright, in a strong appeal
for the purchase of an ambulance to be sent along with ou1
boys to France. The last speaker was the Rev. Thomas J
Gross, of Trenton, first lieutenant chaplain of the New Jer
sey State militia, who represented Governor Edge and Ad-
jutant General Frederick G~ylkison. The speech of Lieu.
tenant Cross was listened to with rapt attention, inspiring
all hearers with a firm and high resolve. Surrounding the
orators of the day were Senator Lewis T. Stevens, of Cape
May Assemblyman Mark Lake, and Ward Higbee, of Ocean
City; Cape May county Freeholders John P. Fox, of Ocean
City; Hope W. Candy, of Tuckahoe; james F. Eustace, Of