Norwich bulletin., 1919-04-26

ion, New Ensland's own. was wei was welcomed home today after IS months overseas service. The parade of the Yankee boys through Boston streets was given the acclaim due alone to a division with one Of the distinctive fighting records of Ameri- can history. The vast crowd that fill cd the long lines of grandstands and stood wedged tightly along the netire tve-mle route was without parallel in the citys history.
 The division marched in the full ca pacity oi war with gicaming bayonets fixed to rifles. steel helmets that bore evidence Of hard service and with packs and side-arms. The men swung along with The easy stride of veterans, three squads abreast, and looked ev- cry inch iit for the toug hest kind of service
 The greeting was uproarious. True. there were tears for those who never will return. but they were tears of pride. \ flag bearing 'a gold star and the number 1860. in,memory of those who sleep the sleep that knows no awakening in France was carried at the head of the division. but sadness was surpassed for the sake of the -afelv returned.
 Airplanes scared overhead, cannon numbered their salutes, bands at ire qucnt intervals along the line of march mingled their music with the martial crash of drum and bugle corps and a million tnTOats cheered them selves hoarse. Overhead fioated Amer jean and allied flags and from upper windows and roofs the troops were showercd with confetti and stream CTS.
 Scores of women tainted in the crush of thousands and were rushed to first aid stations. hut only one seri- out disturbance married the day. Two negroes armed with revolver and knife. who ran amuck on Columbus avenue. killed one and wounded sev- eral other spectators.
 The weather was far from ideal. The sky was overcast and there was d raw north wind and the temperature bordered the freezing point But the crowd suffered the discomfort without a murmur. and the troops gloried in tho chill air.
 The wounded who rode in automo- piles st the head Of the column re- ceivcd the biggest ovation They were cheered to the echo and fairly bonn harded with flowers. which they placed on their hats as they waved greetings and grinned in sheer delight.
 Notable individual demonstrations were accorded Major General Clarence Nka n Department. who commanded the di- vision during most Of its active ser vice: MaiOr- General Harry C. Hale, who brought the division home; Bri- -adier- General Charles H. Cole, com msnding the 52nd Infantry Brigade, and Colonel Edward Logan, of the 1olst Infantry. BOston's own.
 Generals Edwards and Hale left the column near the end of the parade on division passed before them in review for the last time. General Hale then left to command Of Camp Dix and General Edwards returned to the command of the northeastern department.
 General Edwards waS especially happy in his farewell. Good bye good luck was his repeated message to officers as they passed at salute, while 10 the men he shouted smile, don't look SO serious And the men did, with many an apprccistive grin.
 General Edwards had on the re- viewing stand with him two wound cd members of the division who had not appeared in the parade He no. ticed them hobbliug by and ordered them brought to his stand.
 The colors Of the 102nd and 104th regiments Of infantry were received almost with awe as they passed, for both were decorated with the CroiX De Guerre. conferred by the French army for meritorious conduct in action. The t0iths was early decorated as q unit The 1O2nd was noticeable for the mum Der of wound stripes its members wore.
 The discharged members of the di- vision who marched by platoon imme- diately behind their own organizations also wore many decolu tions and wound stripes, testifyins to their sa- -riiicial service that contributed to tho divisions greatness. In these sec tions. officers were almost as numer- ous as enlisted men.
 The mascots. both two-footed ana four footed also received their share of welcome. There were goats ant dogs. all wearing service stripes, who trotted along with their masters. On, "a trench dog-wore five service stripes.
 Tine troops marched at "rout step except when passing official reviewing stands. when they snapped to 'atten- tionf and gave "eyes right Thi. marching at ease permitted them tc exchange greetings with friends whC called 10 them from the human wall' that bordered the line and to accep gifts Of cigarettes and candy from re lief works Yet a perfect alignmen was maintained, the troops moving a: fl on drill field.
 l. was just two hours from th' time the head Of the column started until 1t reached the end of the route and four hours before the huge howit- ger, captured from the Germans ant which brought up the rear. reached the disbanding point. The troops i'm nediately left for armories and spe. cial trains. One half returned tt Camp Devens tonight and the rest vii entrain tomorrow morning. Work o dischsrging will begin on Monday and by Tuesday night the Yankee Di