Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1918-10-02
ROY WELTERLEN WRITES FROM
FRANCE.

Mr.. and Mrs. Henry Welterlen re-
ceived word from their son, Roy, who
has been with the Rainbow Division
in France for a year, stating that he
is we'll, and is now resting in camp
back Of the front line trenches. Mr..
Welterlen has seen real warfare, dur
ing the big drive during July, but es-
capped uninjured. Many of the COM
panies of the Rainbow Division have
been sadly shattered and greatly re-
duced in numbers during the big drive.
Mr.. Welterlen spoke of some OF the
Manchester boys in his company, and
said that they were all well. He refer
red to the heroic work of Leo Champ
lin, and said that he kept on carrying
wounded from the battle field after he
himself had been wounded.
Extracts from letter written by
Major General Charles T. Menoher. of
the United States Army, and address,
ed to the officers and men OF the Rain
bow Division, will be read with inter-
est by those who have boys in the Di-
vision. We give the following para
graphs from the generals letter:
"Your first elements entered the
trenches in Lorraine on February 21st.
You served on that front for 110 days.
You were the first American Division
to hold a divisional sector and when
you left the sector June 21st, you had
served continuously as division in
the trenches for a longer time than
any other American division. AL
though you entered the sector with
out experience in actual warfare. you
so conducted yourselves as to win the
respect and affection Of the French
veterans with whom you fought. I'm
der gas and bombardment, in raids,
in patrols, in the heat Of hand to hand
combat and in the long dull hours of
trench routine so trying to soldiers
spirit, you bore yourselves in a man
ner worthy Of the traditions OF our
country.
You were withdrawn from Lor-
raine and moved Immediately to the
Champagne front where during the
critical days from July 14th to July
18th, you had the honor of being the
only American Division to fight in
General Gouraud's Army which so
gloriously obeyed his order, I'VE will
stand or die, and by its iron defense
crushed the German assault and made
possible the offensive of July 18th to
west of Reims.
From Champagne you were called
to take part in exploiting the success
north of the-Marne. Fresh from the
battle front before Chalons, you were
thrown against the picked troops of
Germany. For eight consecutive days
you attacked skillfully prepared posi-
lions. You captured great stores of
arms and munitions. You forced the
of the Ourcq. You took
Hill 212, Sergy. Meurcy Ferme and
Ser;nges by assault You drove the
enemy, including an Imperial Guard
Division, before you for depth of
fifteen kilometers. When your infant
ry was relieved, it was in full pursuit
of the retreating Germans. and your
artillery continued to progress and
support another American Division in
the advance to the Vesle.
For your services in Lorraine, your
division was formally commended in
General Orders by the French Army
Corps under which you served. For
your sfervices in Champagne, your
assembled officers received the per-
sonal thanks and recommendation of
General Gouraud himself. For your
services on the Ourcq, your division
was officially complimented in let
ter from the Commanding General,
1st Army Corps, of July 2Sth, 1918"
--Hassel Munson, who has been in
the great spruce forests of Oregon dur
ing the summer months, returned
home the first of the week Mr.. Nun
son worked in some Of the big lumber
camps the past season, and saw
some mighty interesting sights in the
vicinity of Uncle Sans great ship
building industries. He tells us that
some of the trees there are two hun
dred feet high, and are being convert
ed into material for the ships, while |