Evening star., 1918-08-18
AMERICAN TROOPS
cHEERK|NG GEORGE
English Monarch Decorates
Heroes Who, With Austria
/ Iians, Fought at Hamel.
EXPRESSES APPRECIATION
ny e. PERCY NOEL.
CnbleEram to The Sunday Star and Il
Chicago Daily News, Copyright, 1911

WITH THE BRITISH ARMIES al
THE FRONT. August 17.-Three
cheers for King George have been
given with zest by nearly every unit
of the United. States Army in the
British area during King Georges
visit to the battle front, but none
with such relish as those Of the Chi
cage men whom the king PERSONAL
ly decorated recently. Nineteen OF
those who fought with the Aus
tralians at Hamel July were select
ed by the British for the honors.
mostly Chica goans. They were even
called from the line to be honored by
them-are recuperatinS in distant
hospitals, where The awards were
sent by special messenger
Orders for Pershing and Bliss.
The honors comprise four military
crosses, four DISTINGUISHED service
medals and eleven military medals,
Not only did these men have the DIS
tinction of being first honoFed by the
king himself, but also at the same
time and place when Gen. Pershing
and Gen. Bliss received, respectively,
the decorations of grand commanders
of the order of the Bath ana ST.
L.
King George bestowed these high
marks of friendship and appreciation
upon the generals privately In Mt
tie sitting room of a seventeenth CEN
tury chateau. They spent some time
in cordial conversation. 1t was the
one room of the chateau not devoted
10 military affairs, but normally oc-
cupied by French lady. Nine Chate-
laine herself eighty years old, with
three sons in the French Army. TWO
ls- Nd ha n l.
onel,
She always refused to leave her
home, even when the advancing Ger
mans came, perilously near, and When
the military authorities requisitioned
the chateau she was permitted to keep
one corner room on the ground floor.
She was happy woman yesterday
when she prepared the room for the
scene of honors to the American gen.
erals. She realized the dignity of the
history making occasion.
King Shakes Hands.
The house resembles many other
chateaus of France. with the appear
ance of small palaces with broad
shaded grounds and avenues of trees.
The heroes of Hamel, glowing with
health and looking like warriors
every inch OF them. marched up to
the open space behind the chateau.
and while they stood at attention the
king came out of the house toward
them and passed down their lines,
with guard of honor behind. formin g
a small hollow square. AS the names
were called the officers and men
stepped forward. The king spoke a
few words of congratulation, and at
tached the medals on the olive drab
uniforms of the Americans. He shook
hands cordially with those not pre-
vented from doing SO by the rifles
they carried
Those Who Were Honored.
Those in line were Lieut. Frank e
Schram. Second Lieut.. Harry Yagle
Second Lieut.. Michael NJ. n. Morowski
all of whom received the military
cross: Corp. Thomas A Pope. Private
Harry Shelly, the distinguished con-
duct medal; Christopher W. Keane
SerEt. James r. Krum, Corp. Andre
Z. Shabinger, Corp. Lester c. Whit
son. William +. Linsky. Fred Z. Will
kins: Serst- Frank w. Koijane. Corp
H Zyburt. Sergt- A. Erhard, Private
j. Sweredo, the military medal.
Those in the hospitals honored were
Lieut. Albert G. Jefferson, Corp. Ray
nIond III. Powell. Corp. Albert C. Prin-
sipp. and Corp. John Desmidt.
Since his arrival at the front the
king has travelled some 900 miles, he
sand. and he has taken particular
pleasure in seeing many Americans
close to the lines. Possibly I was one
or the party with the king on the
first day that he saw the Americans
in France Each time he stopped
! where a unit was assembled he was
J met by an American general or col
onel, with whom the king walked
through the lines Of troops Assem- bi ed
, for inspection 1t was all Informal
: except for the doughboys, who seem
ed. more than any one else, to rise
: to the dignity of the occasion.