Evening star., 1919-09-17

even have the satisfaction of throw
ing q wrench into the German war
machine, but kept plugging up shrap-
mel holes in an ambulance radiator or
replacing smashed wheels on a motor
cycle. Under spray OF gas and TO
worked to keep the wheels of the dl-
vision moving toward victory.
Short Of "service Parks"
Although each combat division is
supposed to have three of these repair
units, or service parks" the 1st
Division never had more than two
Nos. ao1 and 6s5-until after the ar
mistice.
Capt. w. ]. Barnice was in command
Of this important branch of the di-
visions backfield and he summarizes
the work of Unit S01 thus:
Praise for Units.
"The unit has served continuously
from February 4. 1918, to May I. 1919.
in the advance zone and at the front
with the 1st Division. It is fitting to
state here that the men Of S. P. q. S01
endured incessant toll, privations and
danger. 1t is my opinion that they
who served with the unit during the
aOOVe peTlOO OcSeISo recognition IOT
i their cheerful and tireless co-opeFa-
ton. alt was all hard work-no play
yet they entered into it willingly"
| Service Park Unit 695 has the dis
tinction of being the first unit or
ganized in the United States Army for
formed at Fort Sam Houston, San
Antonio, Tex, May 90. 1917, with the
title of Auto Park Company, Motor
Truck Group.
7 These two units joined the 1st Di-
vision at Gendrecourt and have been
all the engagements in which the di-
vision participated. have been gassed,
| shelled and bombed and otherwise dis
| turbed while at work.
The tWo units received citations for
specially courageous service at Nom
sahd under shell fire. There, they
stuck to the job in hand in spite Of
heavy shel1ing until ordered away.
| The frst mechanical duties per-
formed by the 301st after joining the
two cars which had been received
completely knocked down. The only
hand tools available were those in the
cars. The work was completed in
four days. A few days later, the park
travelled fifteen kilometers to Lune-
Vile. unloaded with improvised tools
and equipment forty-two A. E. c.
three-ton trucks and drove them in
| pitchy darkness without lights to
Gondrecourt, the first experience of
the 301st in night driving in France
Report of Work Done.
Early in April 301 was joined by
6s5. In actual figures, 301 did a
total of 5.341 jobs on motorcycles.
bicycles and motor cars and trucks
from February to May II, and 6S5,
q total Of 1882 jobs. from July rs.
1917, to June l, 1913.
Not content with doing the repair
work expected Of them daily, the
men often volunteered at night to
haul food. water and ammunition to
| the front line trenches.
At Cantigny all the light delivery
cars available had to be pressed into
service to haul supplies up to the
combatant troops and bring wounded
back. Volunteers were called for ana
the men Of 3O1 and sos" responded
eagerly. At Creepy the ,, unit w was sn7
ammunition up front and bring
wounded back and at night the men
went up to the rai1head to assist IN
loading the wounded on trains.
needed sorely to assist in bringing
up ammunition and evacuating
wounded. 3o1 and 6s5 supplied the
truck drivers. There four men OF
| 301 were badly gassed.
While at Noyes-St. Martin in April
the men had their first taste of bomb
ing. There the billited under
large hay shed which was a target
nightly for the Hun raiders. One
bomb dropped fifty yards from the
shed, quite close enough for the me-
chanics huddled inside. The boche
had better luck another time. scoring
a direct hit on a house in which were
Col. Clayton, quartermaster OF the
jst Division, and Capt. Montgall Of
Kansas City and Capt: Bullock ls,st Of
ofacers. The three Americans and
one French officer were buried be-
| meath the debris, from which they
were taken by the men of 301 after
several hours frantic work All three
| were dead.
Hang on Under Fire.
| At Nonsard, in September, the re-
pair men had their hardest dose of
shelling. They arrived before noon
September Is, and set up shop in
Front of a haIf-destroyed house. Just