The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-12-27
CHRIS7MAS0
RIVER RHINE
First yuIetide In History S|e.
brated by U. S. Arn ID
Foroein Germany.F
SOLDIERS ATTEND CHURCH
@ rma orchestral Play
America s}irs-Thoughts
of HON cross Atlantic.
SOL DIERs ATTEND CHURCH
@ 9 r m q !
America
of HON

wv ssNs&A& <hesssy ~ >>SN-
patton in lany. Dec. sS-(Py
Courier e = ancy.)-Q. N S.J--
christmas : the Rhine" Vea the
title instip :, ,ly applied byN every
doughboy K : he American nfny OF
occupation. the first yuleude IN
history cf- Ated by armed United
States foe In Germany. 1sHf (.
The sc were. memorials and
unique. bur-despitey the varied pro-
grams OF entertainment. the men
were moved by profound thjynghts.
They longed to be home and laHmit-
ted II.
The jollification began at dutk and
continued until midnight. The cafes
in Coblenz were decorated with holly
and evergreen and boche orchestroe
played carols and American 61tu-
Some of the officers Joined In the
singing. Amidst one group OF colQs
nels and majors there was one u1AQ
whose face bore an unmoved eXDrpe~
sion of great seriousness. E.s
At the height of the revelr3k e1S9
officer-he is a major-turned~ ~ -
lieutenant colonel and remaE,kSs:
"Bill. I'm thinking about my ~
children. The risk and excte1G1y
is over now, and we have moro
to think of the dear ones 1T hp8k
A lot of us are pretending TO q bo80
time than we really are havingt M
our hearts are really on the p1@Nt
side of the Atlantic. Anyhow, ~ -
be thankful we are not u m
trenches tonight"
Thoughts Of Home.
This was typical of the 1traj&ed
celebrations in the public places.
Director John J. DQnovan, OF Ioe~
ton. Knights of Columbus wofxkr.
staged a dance for officers and a
group of Red Cross girl nuroea In
the officers club at Coblenz. lll
The 165th infantry. formerly thp
Fighting Sixty NINTH" Of New Yorf,
attended a midnight mass at Gcit
man church in a little hamlet calleH
Remagen, beyond the Rhine. tn
regimental band turned out, and tfb
men marched through the snow hd :,
hind their colors. The to7ling chunb
bell proclaimed the hour of midnight.
The men were led by Lieut.. Cd.
Bill Donovan, former Columbia sri-
versity coach. who has just returned
from the hospital where he recovered
from wounds received In battle It.
was a proud moment for Lieut. Cd
bill" Beside him marched Iseu.
~Ntkh4t A<tetauCJf eOii vi tnt fHG9 a. 04-|
ticc Delaney. of the New York SUI
prerne court. The scene was impress
eive beyond words to describe.
Douqhboys Attend Church.
The doughboys thronged the
church and there was a fair sprlnk-
ling of German peasants. The color
bearers. John Curtin and James Muir
ray. with a guard of twenty four
men, stood their flags across the
aisle.
The interior of the church was
decorated with evergreen and fir
trees and the place was Illuminated
with myriad Of candles. The Sixty
ninth regiment choir, led by Sergt.
Manner F'lannery. who had served in
Cuba, furnished the music and the
sermon was preached by Chaplain
Francis p. Duffy, of NewNYork City.
Six hundred soldiers were communi-
cants.
AS the soldiers trudged through
the snow to and from the church. the
band played loudly. This snow, by
the way, was the first of the season. |
Appreciated Gift.
Kneeling in the first pew in the |
church was Private Mike Donaldson,
of Haverstraw. N. Y, former SPAR
ring partner of the late Stanley
ketchell. Private Donaldson was
sporting a distinguished service
medal on the left side of his chest, |
which had arrived just a few hours |
before.
THAT was the best present Santa
Claus could have brought me-" de-
clared Donaldson.
1t was awarded in recognition Of |
nnpa a1drrr,,, hru ya,xy Jprto- tbo %.r
rife fighting around Londres-St.
of the war. Mike made
fire. carrying wounded comrades to
safety. Rev. Father Duffy, who
Celebrated the mass. was also re-
,ently decorated with the distin-
suished service cross for gallantry,
After the service the company
looks prepared a midnight supper
Veich was served in the wee sma'
lours.
Lieut.. James Magin, of Rochester.
v. T., had vivid green menus printed
or the Christmas dinner, with spaces
eft for the name and date. They
ire being kept as souvenirs.
Alabama Boys.
The 167th infantry, formerly the
second Alabama infantry, erected q
Tant christmas tree on the very
'ank of the Rhine river. When dark
less fell, 1T was brilliantly illumi-
lated.
There was a liberal distribution of
weets both last night and today
rom the gorgeous Christmas tree in
he various entertainment places. In
he absence OF turkey, the doughboys
'ot a dinner of roast pork, with
lenty OF embellishments.
Some of the men attached TO army
headquarters at Coblenz rigged out
N enormous Christmas trse, and
undreds of Germans brought out
heir families to see 1t. TIE chill
rem were delighted. It was a busy
ay for the chaplains. Father Pat
lex DUNCAN. of the American Third
rmy. celebrated six masses in one