The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-02-10
STORY OF GIDEON N. LAcRox
Bennington Boy Was at Chateau
Thterry and ST. Mihiel.

: Thierry and ST. Mihlel.
Frank Mahar of Mil street has re-
&c we'd an interesting letter from
Gideon ~ Lacroix. who IS mem.
Der of company F. 101st ammunition
train and who has been IN France
FOR some time.
Morcelly, Haate.Marne.
Decemher Is, 1918.
My dear Frank. Received your
letter few days ago and WIS very
glad to hear from you again. Was
awfully sorry to hear ablut Rob
Stewart and sincerely nope he will
recover.
50 you think it is funny that do
not run on to any of the Bennington
bows. Well, I'll tell You those from
home in my division | see once in. =
while but not very often. When cur
division was relieved from the front,
November 18TH we started from the
rear and after the fourth day on the
road | met "Shark" Silver, lis reg.
iment was just pulling in n towl for
over ldgh' when ny regiment was 20.
ing through. stopped ana had lit.
tie chm. with him and havaat ~cn
him since. He was looking fire at
that time and lie told me that the
war had made quite change IN hir
think you will find a change in all
the boys when we get back. also
met Goodbeau and Dcechcr couple
of days after the ST. Mihlei drive nut
haven't seen them since either, so
you can see that we do not see one
another very often never see the
boys from home who went with my
division although | would like to
meet q few OF the old timers like
Pete King anu Mcclure. 1t sure
would be q treat to meet them here
see by few Of the New England
papers that tile 26th would be among
the first troops home. WE'LL I'll tell
yon there isn't signs of my division
going home yet although we ought to
be among the first back because we
were the first full division here and
the first full one ON the lines. When
the 18th went up TO the lines last
February, only twelve thousand
American soldiers were on the lines.
That isn't half division. When the
old 26th went up we we're twenty
seven thousand strong. Our first sec
tor was ut SCISSORS and then at Toul.
From the Tout sector we went to
Chateau-Thierry front and we were
right In the thick Of the lighting when
the Allies started their big counter.
offensive July 18th. We chased the
Huns until August 9th and then we
we're relieved. We. took two weeks
rest. then Started for the st. Mihiel
front After two weeks artillery
preparation we started the big at
tack September 18th and believe me.
our donghboys gave the Huns an aw.
ful run. even Donkey Pellerin cap.
tnrel =. bunch OF prisoners, I'll tell
you The Huns We're safisati. tof 3 The
Yanks. We LEFT The ct. Mihiel front
the first week IN October and. started
for the sMelises front aid takesit fr6m
me- twas the hardest and toughest
front. the old 26th was eyerl0 in. (. 1
will never. forget that front as long as
| live and will never forget the mud
on that sector 1t was terrible we
were On that 'front.' whenstte armis-
E'acefwas signed November 18th and
you can bet that we were one happy
bunch when the order came to cease
firing at IL o'clock November 18th
We left the front November 18th and
the old 26th was all in, that is why
we left the front the day after the
afmistice, Il took US twelve days to
reach our destination after we left
the front We are kept very busy
here. In the morning we go with
our horses to give them exercise and
in the afternoon we have infantry
drill. But should worry, when
came here hired a room and an
now sleeping between white sheets
for the first time since have beer
In the service. III tell you It make,
me think of my dear old home swee
home Well. this will be all, hopini
to see you SOON