Norwich bulletin., 1919-03-31

forming the advance guard of the re-
turning Twenty sixth (New England) |
National Guard division, arrived here
today from Rlest on the steamer Aqui-
tania to complete with state and To-
cal committees preparations for the |
divisions Homecoming celebration. |
Fourteen thousand troops Of the I
Yankee division are l'ow on the !
high seas. or about to sail in q day |
or two, ana the remainder now 1t
Brest, viii embark beginning April |
a. All the troops will land at Bos- |
ton. according to present plans and the |
last unit should reach there shortly |
before May l.
Plans fer the Divisional parade in
Boston viii be held up pending def |
iIite information concerning the de- |
parture of the last units, which is ex-
pected by cable within a few days, |
but Tuesday May G. has been set as !
tentative date.
Plans for the demobilization of the
division are contingent upon the pa
iade plans. but General Cole declared
that the records of the division are in
proper order and up to date so tina
the mastering out process probably
would begin two or three days after
the parade and be completed within a
week
Unless present arrangements mis-
carry. each unit of the division will be
transported directly to Camp Devens
upon is arrival at Boston and there
will le 'dcloused" The men viii re-
main there until the day before the
parade. but each man will receive a
short leave as soon as possible after
his arrival.
Relatives and friends will also have
an opportunity 10 visit the camp
After the parade and reception in
Boston the men will return to Camp
Davens. where they will receive their
discharge papers.
The people of New England" de-
clared General Cole. cannot be too
proud OF the men Of the Yankee di-
vision which has no superior in the
American army They participated in
ove-y offensive OF the American army
ana with the exception of the first di
vision they were longer on the de-
fcnsive than any other division.
Il want to pay particular tribute to
the enlisted men and junior officers
whose duties kept them in the front
line for long periods and under dang
erous and trying conditions. They
arc the fellows who did the job and
TO them the highest praise and com
mandation IS due
General Cole sad the divisional per-
sounel now Includes 2S000 officers and
men. $4,000 Of whom are fromNew
England The others represent re-
placement troops, hailing Dfrom all
parts of the country.
Lists have hecn prepared Of the
numJer OF men in the division from
each New England town and city.
These lists with the exception of those
Of the 1)3rd and I0+th Infantry re2i-
ments. yhich arc being sent by mail,
are in the possession Of General Cole
and will he turned over to the New
England state and local committees.
The division is in fine shape said
General cole, and eager to return
home All the men want to parade in
Boston ana that includes those from
outside Of New England. They are
deeply appreciative Of the splendid re-
crption being arranged in their behalf
and want their wounded and former
comrades to join with them. We have
come home to help the committees
with their plans and want TO do ev-
erything they want us to do, so far
as possible
conditions IN Brest where the di-
vision is now stationed are fine,
continued the general In fact We
have had very little sickness since
the armistice. We were virtually i'm
mune from the influenza epidemics
over there during the last year and il
is a recognized lhtL IilAL men III INT
front line trenches are less susceptible
10 influenza than those confined II
camps in the rear The last reports
| saw of the 10ith regiment showed
that less than one per cent. of the
men were on the sick list and approx
imately the same per centage holds fol
the other units
On the eve of his departure for tie
United States, General Cole was in
l. L I'D ~,
French war cross with palm, a dec
Grafton conferred by q French arm!
commander The citation which set
forth in detail the reasons for the re
ward, has not yet been received b!
the general
It is understood that the presenta
ton will take place in Boston within
the next two weeks and that eithe
Major General Clarence Il. Edwards
former commander of the Yankee di
vision and now commanding the de
partment of the northeast, or Majo
General Harry G.. Hale, the presen
divisional commander, will be aske
by the French authorities to pin til
medal on the generals breast.
In addition to General Cole, mem
bers of the advance party are Lieu
tenant Colonel Frank E. Perkins, lois
Field Artillery, Salem. Mass. who ha
also been awarded the war cross
Captain John c. Leggat Lowell, act
ing aide de camp to General Cole
Sergeant Ma ior Charles T, Mccarthy
Hartford, of divisional headuarter'
staff: Sergeant II. A. McPhctere!
Lynn, ss., 101st Field Artillery, an
Private Ernest Ayotte of Mexico, Me
the generals orderly.
The majority Of the men in the head
quarters, infantry and machine gu
units, the general said, are on tn
transports Agamemnon Mount Ver
non and America, which were sched
uled TO sail March 2S % and April
respectively. The artillery and othe
units are due 10 leave two weeks late
The reason for the long interval be
tween sailing dates, he explained,
that there were no boats available
bring the men to Boston between Apr
and IA. The name of each trans
port carrying the troops Of the div
sion and its personnel will be cahled
Boston as soon as the information
available on the other side.
General Cole asserted that MaiC
General Hale, who replaced MajC
Gen. Edwards and who he describe
a. "a fair. square and impartial officer
is we'll liked by all officers and men
the division.
The first day he was assigned
the command Of the division" Gener
Cole said. General Hale called II
officers together, told them that /