Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-05-06
COLONEL HUME


ly spoken Of by Major General Clar-
ence Edwards upon his recent visit to
Maine, Col. F. NJ. Hume, commander
of the 103rd Regiment of the 26th
Division. sturdy, stalwart Col. Hume,
himself, in flesh and blood, olive drab
regalia, glasses and all, was thun-
derously and withal affectionally
greeted. Monday evening at the Au-
gusta City Opera house. following the
first plight production of the Elks'
Minstrels, when he went upon the
stage and spoke briefly.
Il want to tell you one thing"
he said first, Il have more fear when
get in front Of friends in Maine
than 1 have had for the past two
years. I want to tell you a little
about the Goth Division. In spits of
what Boston papers say and what
Maine papers don't say. there are
other regiments other than the 1o1st
and the 104th in the 26th Division,
among them the 103rd. And a bet
ter regiment never trod Gods green
earth than the 103rd. 1t was COM
posed. among other units, Of 1000
Maine men. Where, in Gods name,
can you get better blood than that
In speaking of the movements of
the Maine regiment, he said in part
as follows: The larger part of the
Maine regiment was drilled at Au-
gusta. The regiment went to West
field and on September rs sailed
from New York, having left West
field the night before under the COW
er of darkness, the movements of the
regiments being very secret. To Lon
don, to La Havre, to Liffol- grand.
he traced the Division. the 26th. 1t
was a home to ."us boys" he said.
They held out their hands for France
was bleeding. She worshipped the
khaki clad heroes as she called them.
The khaki clad hero symbolized all
that picturized democracy to her.
The 26th Division was the first COM
plete American division that partici-
pated in an offensive against the
Germans.
The colonel spoke of the training in
France. No mules, no horses were to he
had. Firewood was gathered under Diff
ficulties. The only spot in Liffol-la-
Grand to get warm was in the Y. NJ.
c. A. hut. 1.-The Y. NJ. c. A. hut ut
Liffol-la Grand was the only spot to
get warm and was more to us than God
az that time" The clothing commence
ed to wear out, shoes gave out, there
being about 40 men to a company who
, were without shoes. He spoke of many
hundreds Of pairs of shoes at a nearby
place which might be had. but that they
were sizes 81 and there are "darned few
men from Maine who wear that size"
Soon the soldiers were wearing Tom
mays hat, French shoes and other APP
parel. and the only American apparel
he wore was the o. d. shirt. The rifles
were SpringfieldS, the best in the world,
but all the other guns were foreign.
They never got a round Of American
ammunition until after the armistice
was signed. And before that the only
American ammunition was received
from our friends the Germans. through
the Russians, ana, ne said, thank God
they were American, as seven-tenths Of
them were duds.''
The colonel spoke of the first service
a. Chemin de Dame. Here he said Hen
ry Duplissis, an Augusta boy, received
the Croix de Guerre, he being the first
American soldier to receive this deco
ration Young Duplissis was also the
first Augusta boy to be wounded.
About this tipe scarlet fever struck
Company NJ. Captain Thomas Enright
OF Augusta went into another company
as he wanted to go over the top. and
he took part in the battles at Chemin
de Dame and Appremopt. the greatest
honor that a soldier could perform.
Capt. Enright went to Col. Hume and
said: Il think that my men think I'm
nervous. If you say that it's better for
me to go back Of the lines and do some
thing else. I'll Co. If you write a letter
and request be sent to S. o. S."
Col. Hume said that Can't. Enright
could not have done it il he hadn't
told him to do it. to go back of the
lines. Since coming to Maine Col.
Hume said he had heard that some
thing was wrong with Tom Enright.
The colonel said. Il brand it, no mat
ter who says it, lie."
At Burnt Woods, at Zivray. ~
Chateau Thicrry. the colonel spoke
Of the brave work by the 103rd In
fantry. He spoke Of the big drive of
July Is. The 103rd suffered 9S3 ma
jor casualties and the 1920 suffered
9s8. In closing Col. Hume says. these
boys have got to be taken care Of.
Their views of life have been broad
ened and they will look down upon
the narrow views Of the Maine and
New England people. They are
thinking lot and the next three
months will be critical ones here. He
said that he had been for the third
time now where an army had been
dcmcbilized and he realized the dan
ger. Something unjust be done for
the boys and God knows that the
State cannot afford to lose the boys,
they must be- kept here. Folks at
home have saved. There was plenty
Of sugar there when saving was
here. there was beau coup bread
there and now more is to be done.
1.-THE way Is to give US enough mon
ey to bring back the boys over
there who are to come home and to
patton until their work is done.
keep over there tie Army Of Occu-
That is the way to show the boys
that they are remembered"
During the performance OF s.he
Elks MINISTRIES Col. F. M. Hume in
company with Senator Guy P. Gan
nett and ex-Gov. Plaistsd and la
dies occupied q box.