The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-01-21
BACK FROM THE VAR
WITH WOUND ON Arm
Lance Corporal George Thompson of
Barre Went Through Ypres and Somme
Campaigns-Was Given Big Recep-
tion in Barre Saturday Night.

BY gathering at the Central Vernon
station with the Barre pipe and drum
band and cheering wildly as the traiI
came to halt, a crowd of 800 people
gave Lance Corporal George Thompson
of the s7th Grenadier Guards, c. +. +.
the second biggest surprise of his lif'
Saturday night. Now if you look evel
so close you may notice that Corpora
Thompson "fayors" his right arm, but
| you would never know that he was griev.
ously wounded on the Somme. Never.
| theless, the reception accorded him on
the occasion of his homecoming was
something in the nature of a recognition
of the fact that he is one of the first il
not the first Barre boy TO return from
overseas service, and on sick leave, too
From the moment he alighted from the
train until lights were out at the home
of his parents, Mr.. and Mrs. w. r.
Thompson, 80 Farwell street, the cor
poral was very much in the hands of his
friends.
1t was a crowd which concealed its i'm
patience well as an hour dragged by and
the train failed to appear Another half
hour and then o o'clock was approaching
before whistle blast down the yard
gave the crowd the pitch. The presence
of the kitty band lent color to the scene,
and when the train finally appeared the
skirl of the pipes and the rattat of the
drums added tone to a series of cheers
which threatened to stife the bagpipe
edition of Hail. the Conquering Hero"
As Corporal Thompson explained after
ward, TO see so many of his friends gath.
cred at the station and to hear the cheer
ing reception accorded him at the mo-
ment of his arrival afforded him next to
the biggest surprise of his life. The big.
gest, he added came to him when he first
entered the trenches as a member of the
Guards.
Corporal Thompson was accompanied
home by Miss Reed of Montreal The
committee had provided barge
for the trip to Farwell street, and the
ride home might be likened to triumph
Al tour, for there were friendly greetings
TO be returned all along the way Arriv
ng home the soldier found an anxious |
family awaiting his coming. After the |
'amilv greetings had been made, Corporal
Thompson received upward of 100 friends !
Ind until midnight good many folks
oined in trying to help him forget the
rials he has encountered "over there"
Thomas Mcdonald was delegated to act |
Is toastmaster and everybody was invit
d to sing An informal program inelud-
d old fashioned songs. brief speeches
nd selections by the pipe band. Cor
loral Thompson managed to convey by
rords his appreciation of the hearty wei
ome given him, but had to confess that
ghting Boehes was much more in his
me During the evening refreshments
,ere served by Mrs. Thompson. One OF
he guests was Lieut.. J. Mitchell Of the
oval flying corps, who is staying in
fontpelier for time before going to
rance.
The young lance corporal is to remain
18th his parents until Jan. IS, when he
ill return to Montreal. and ii his physi- |
II condition permits he hopes TO return
, active service in the near future. The {
,rporal enlisted at ST. Johns, p O.. in I
ll5 and was assigned to S7th regiment of /
renadier Guards. He spent the GUS i
,mary training period in England and !
! had not been on French soil very long t
sfore he was a full fedged lance corpor t
/. His regiment served in Belgium and i
len it went through some Of the hardest a
ghting in the war, first at Ypres and t
zen on the Somme. II was during the il
,mme offensive that he was wounded, Il
I'd for l3 months he was patient in an
nclish hospital. His younger brother, a
mes Thompson, enlisted in company a
the lst Vermont regiment last sum n
er, and il now in France with the l03d 81
fantrv. Il