Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-06-04

a year London had had a parade of
United States troops.
In this connection it is notable that
the only other parade was participated
in by another Atlanta-trained regiment,
the Seventeenth engineers.
Probably the best account of the pa
rade of the Three Hundred and Twenty
fifth was in the Evening Standard.
1t follows:
I'm brilliant sunshine, with a hint of
September nip in the air. London to-
day welcomed troops of the United
States army for the second time IN
twelve months.
I'm the early morning, when men and
women were proceeding to work, train
loads of these hefty, alert fellows,
looking very springy and workmanlike
in their scouts hats and putty-colored
CATERS, and with full kits, even to
trenching shovels, on their backs, had
arrived and been wildly greeted on
their march to Wellington barracks.
"As they marched along Birdcage
walk the soldiers flung American coins
to the children and enjoyed their first
taste of London immensely. On the
parade ground at Wellington barracks
breakfast was laid for umpty' thou
sands, and such a breakfast-real Brit
ish sandwiches of all kinds-ham, beef,
cress and cucumber, eggs and rare NUT
ton mountains of buttered scenes, and
hefty slabs of bread and butter, flaked
by reservoirs of tea, cocoa, coffee and
milk.
Then came the interval and the
Americans looking around. They saw
the returning guards with critical eyes,
they mingled with the Scots and the
Welsh and the Coldstreams; they swap
ped Arizona yarns and Texas stories
for chips from Leith and Cardiff and
| 'Wipers.'
AT HAS bugles sounded and every
man was in column at the ready They
were going to make their first official
bow to London. Every man looked it.
In the mass they were a strikingly tall
collection, bronzed and healthy and fit
The majority were from the southern
states, but New Workers, Chicagoaus
and men from st. Louis were in the
line where waved a resplendently new
old Glory
Headed by their own band. playing
Sousa-like snatches at times, the
Dixie, and more familiar tunes, they
swung behind the foreign office across
the Horse Guards parade ground to a
sustained cheer from the thousands as
sembled.
THE band of the Scots Guard, with
drums and pipes, led the Second battal-
ion, and did honor to the visitors by
giving them a selection of marching
tunes, into which the tune of My Old
Kentucky Home was interviewer. The
Band of the Irish Guards, with the
drums and flies of the Grenadiers, es-
corted the Third battalion.
"All along Whitehall and round into
Piccadlly, there was a wonderful scene
of enthusiasm from the crowds. Hats
were whisked off and waved as were
small replicas of the Stars and Stripes.
"'Cheero, Sammy Good old Uncle
Sam" and Give 'em socks, Sammy"
were among the cries from the crowd
"Clubland was thoroughly alive to the
occasion. Every window was filled. Hyde
Park corner maintained it's reputation
as London's greatest vantage ground
for a procession. The scene as the men
passed the Duke of Wellington's statue
is not likely to be effaced from memory.
In the windows of St. Georges hospital
the staff and many Of the patients
crowded to join in the welcome.
'All along the route the Americans.
who were obviously surprised and
pleased by the warmth of their well
come, presented very imposing. spec
tacle.
AT the American embassy in Gros-
venor Gardens there was scene of un-
exampled enthusiasm. The building was
decorated with flags and all the windows
in the square were filled with people.
DR.. Page. who was accompanied by Adj
miral Sims, Commander Babcock and
Lieutenant Colonel Slocum, took the
salute outside the embassy.
'As the head of the procession reached
the end of Buckingham Palace road it
halted and the king took up his position
in front of the palace gates. His majesty
was accompanied by the queen, Queen
Alexander, the Duke of Connaught,
Princess Beatrice and Major General
Biddle, of the United States army.
The guard of honor provided by the
battalions presented arms and was in
spected by the king. The national an
them was played by the band of the
Grenadier Guards and then the three
United States battalions began their
march past, the king receiving the
salute
Afterwards the men marched to Well
| ington barracks, where refreshments
were served before they entrained for
Somewhere in England and in little
while for Somewhere in France"