The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-02-05
HARRY c. RUGG
RECOMMENDED |
FOR D. S. CROSS
Bennington Boy Who Lost His
Life in France
WAS DISPATCH RUNNER
Letter Received by His sister, Mra
c. W. Thompson, from Com.
mandInu Officer.
WAS DISPATCH RUNNER

Some wonderful letters have come
across the sea since the sons and
brothers and husbands from this
great land began to lay down their
lives to restore tho peace of the world.
The great majority sok these letters
have been personal, from relative To
relative or friend TO friend. There
have been others, from strangers to
strangers, and these In many instan.
ces have been but detailed In
formation confirming the sad news
already received In the dispatches
from the office of the adiutant geues-
al. There have also been letters OF
another nature written In the hop0
that they might lift something OF the
burden that is being carried by those
who are left and of this nature Ia
the letter published below. 1t was
written by Maj Guy M. Wilson Of
the l25th infantry OF the army Of
occupation to Mrs. 9. w. Thompson.ot
this village. In October Mrs. Thomp-
son was informed that her twin
brother. Harry G. Rugg, dispatch
bearer, had been killed during the Of
fensive movement Of the allied troops
that eliminated in the ending of the
war Further particulars OF the
brothers death we're later received In
letter from corporal In the same
company and a personal friend OF tha
former Bennington young man. Maj.
Wilson's letter Is as follows:
Urbach -Kirchdorf. Germany,
January II, 1910.
Mrs C. W. Thompson. . M
| Bennington,
Dear Madam - -
Corp. Morrison has shown me your
letter to him and : desire 10 congratu-
late. you upon the bravery you, displey.
/ personally iinve receiyed1narry.s many.
| letters from the families OF my men,
men who, have marched on before as,
and Il is the only satisfaction we OH
GERS have In our loss to know that
those at home are making a. good
fight in their own Bereavement Not
a regret not a repining that their
loved one was one of those to be
called. 1t has been such letters as
these that have inspired us to go on
to the end and to make of ourselves
the best soldiers we could.
! knew your brother well. He was
one of those fearless fellows TO whom
we entrusted our most important work
In modern warfare, the carrying OF
messages. A new word has been coined
in this war. 'Liaison", that covers
all this. In battle line extending
from the Swiss border to the sea no
holes or gaps can occur. On'y way
this could be prevented was by con.
stant information az to the location
aad doings of all adjoining troops.
To keep In this hourly touch II was
necessary to use messeners night and
day. And while those on the firing
line were able to dig Into "fox
holes, or If going forward to have a
come back at the Boohe. lighters
chance, this was denied the messeng.
err The messenger had no chance to
seek shelter in fox holes and had no
chance TO fight back. He was charged
with a mission, to get the information
TO its destination no matter the hour.
day or night. No matter whether his
tourney was across shell-swept areas
or zones commanded by enemy ma.
chine guns N
These runners or messengers have
my highest admiration and Il is due
to them and their faithful work that
. the various parts of the long line
were kept abreast of each other. Your
brother was one OF these men. fear.
less, brave and true, and he went to
his death true and clean soldier with
: brave little smile on his lips. h,
esteem his services so highly that
:, ] have forwarded his recommendation
for a distinguished service cross and
4 hope that Il may be awarded and pre-
sented to you as fitting testimonial,
Q OF his fearless deeds.
+ The English language contains w.
3 words adequate TO express TO you o
I sympathy and our pride In this solo
n ier lads achievements, Suffice II L
n say that it Is to him and to othei
:. thousands of Americans who wen
n down with us into the Valley OF Shad
ows not to return that the early vic
~ tory Is due. II was their inslstenc,
on victory. their fidelity to duty, tina
brought fear to the heart OF the Hun
so their lives are not In vain. The,
have been as an insurance premium
which insured the lives OF tens o
,s thousands Of our American manhoo
not yet over here and prevented thei
h. wastage by their insIstence upon In
IA mediate victory.
n Permit me in closing to assure 20
M that your loss is our loss In a Jesse
"a degree and TO congratulate you In III
~ memories of brother who also wa
= d man
Sincerely yours,
= Guy NJ Wilson,
Maj Cong. End Battalion
IOctN I,,fantrv