Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1918-11-27
DEPLETED DIVISIONS
NOT SIGNIFICANT Of
TREMENDOUS LOSSES
Men of One Army Section
Used For Replacement
Few VIII Return With
Original Personnel 1t Is
Said.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 26.-News
seventh and thirtieth divisions, which
have been fighting with the| British
fourth army, have been withdrawn
with only approximately 1880 Of
ficers and men in each, does not mean
that these organizations have been
reduced to less than half of their nor
NAL strength in the severe fighting
on the British front before the sign
ing of the armistice.
Army officers recalled today that
only the infantry and machine gun
units of these divisions went into ac-
ton with the British forces, the ar
tillery being used elsewhere. 1t also
was regarded as more than probable
that the infantry and machine gun
units were reduced in number so as to
make the division conform in size to
the British division, with which they
were operating.
The British divisional unit numbers
about 1880 men. The twenty
seventh division is the New York Ma
tional Guard division, commanded by
Major General John f. Organ, the
only national guard officer to have
served through the war with that high
rank. The thirtieth division was COM
posed of the Tennessee, North Caro-
lima and South Carolina national
guard pnd was known as the wild
cat" division.
18th and 10Th Fought Bravely
Both these organizations saw heavy
action with the British, and were
highly commended by British officers
for their desperate fighting, when Mar
| shall Haig's armies were smashing the
| Hindenburg line in northern France,
early in the fall and later engage
ments. Their losses undoubtedly have
| been heavy, but it is not regarded as
probable that half their original
strength figured in the casualty lists
so far as known here, no date for
the return of these or any other di-
visions from France has been fixed
| Secretary Baker said today none OF
the divisional organizations would ar
rive home before Christmas as the
transport facilities will be used ir
| moving casuals and sick and wounded
When the divisions do return from
France they will bear little resem-
blance in enlisted personnel, to the
same divisions when they started
overseas. Application Of the one army
theory to all the forces, and the sys-
TENS of replacement employed to fiji
gaps in front line organizations, viii
be found to have obliterated, to (
large degree, the lines which, befort
their departure, divided the divisions
into nation guard, national army o
regular organizations.
This fact was sharply illustrated
| hot
18th division had reached its embarka
ton port on the other side, with ;
full strength of 81 officers and LOO
men. 1t went over filled substantial.
to full strength of $1,000.
76th Is Badly Scattered
The report today from France show
that not only have $4,000 Of the 27,00
men of the original 18th been scat
tered in the fighting army, but tina
probably large number of additions
men passed through its ranks in tn
, same way. The division itself wa
never in action or near the front, bu
it is evident that the bulk Of its orig
inal prsonnel saw action in other dl
visions.
1t may be that the extraordinar
depletion in the ranks of the 18th di
vision, represents casualties suffere
! by the 26th division, the New Englan
. national guard force, that was firs
Of the troops, other than those of tn
regular army to reach France. Thi
division saw heavy fighting in man
sectors, and won an enviable reputa
Son. It's casualties are certain
have been heavy, and it is quite likel
that it was kept at fighting strengt
by replacement drafts from the 76t
I division, which was composed largel
: of men from the same part Of tn
!. country. If that is true, the 18th, whe
that does come home, will appear MOI
like the old 18th, than anything els
for the bulk of it's personnel will hay
Z been drawn from that source.
: Even if the men of the 18th f1ay
not gone into the 26th, but have bee
! | scattered among other divisions, it
e obvious that the replacement systel
e has served to break up almost entirel
= the localized character OF the origin;
divisions. All of the active units al
e filled with men from the seiective SCI
e vice, national guard and regular arm
indiscriminately and had the W.
: continued. the whole army would hay
bee nwelded together in this fashio
e until there was no possibility OF di:
tinguishing between the units exec
by number.
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