New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1919-03-27
lO2D INFANTRY IS
CITED MANY'TIMES
Only 10 Weeks in Rest Camp
During Nine Months in Lines

me following interesting account
OF Lhe activities Of the 1920 Infantry
IN france is compiled from a diary
kept by Private Howard b. Sandland.
son OF Mayor William II. Sandland OF
waterbury, who arrived recently at
Newport News Va.
Tie 26th division was organized on
August %, 1917, in Boston, from
units of National Guard troops of the
New England states, the diary re-
lates. The first units of the division
sailed from Hoboken on September Z,
1917, and landed at st. Nazaire,
France on September u. The divi-
sion remained in the training area,
with headquarters at Neuve Chateau,
for four months.
The actions in which the division
participated are given as follows:
North of scissors with the French.
February 6, 1918, (Chemin des
Danes sector); Withdrawn March q,
1918, and sent north of Toul to the
Lariene- Boucque sector; withdrawn
June %, 1918, and sent into the Cha
teau Thierry-Pa Fine sector July 10,
1918; withdrawn July &c and sent in
to St Mihiel-Nepture sector; October
S to November IA, Argonne- Mouse Of
fensive; time in the lines, months
or Flo days.
Total Casualties.
The division captured 81 officers
and 1881 enlisted men and it's booty
in war material included 81 pieces of
neld artillery, % pieces of trench ar
tillery, 1853 light and heavy machine
guns and $50 rifles. The total cas-
ualties suffered by the division in
clude 461 officers and 1854 men.
Enemy territory taken by the di-
vision in battles was as follows:
Marine, July 1926, 17.5 kilometers;
ST Mihiel, September 1918, Ia kilo-
meters; Argonne. October IS, to No
Nember II. SIS kilometers.
The 26th division was the first
American unit organized as a division
in the United States and transported
to France complete. During the nine =,
months of service in t. e lines, from
February 6, 1913, the division spent
only ten days in a rest camp. The
balance of the time was spent in NOV
ing from one sector to another or
in support positions, awaiting entry
into the lines. ...
Numerous Citations.
The division has been cited in AM
erican and French orders and COM
mended in letters and service mem
orandums as follows: Cited in G. O.
No. Z, Hq. 18th Army corps
(French), March Is, 1918; 104th
Infantry cited in C. o. No. 7S7A, Hq.
32d French Army corps, April &c,
1918; 101st Infantry commended in
service memorandum, Hq. 7th Army
corps, French June 8. 1918: COM
mended in service memorandum Hq.
oh
1918; congratulated in memoran-
dunn Hq. sd French Army corps,
June Is, 1918.
103d Infantry commended in let
ter from G. H. O., A. z. F., June 90,
1918; cited in G.. O. No 1873. Hu.
SD French Army corps, June 81,
1918; congratulated in letter, Hq.
9Th French army, July %, 1918
1O2d Infantry.
Cited in G. O., 9Th French army.
August 9. 1918; cited in general or
der, G. H. O., A. E. F., August Is,
1918; 1920 Infantry cited in c. O.,
No. 10, Hq. 5th Army corps, Septem-
Der 10, 1918; commended in letter
from 18th French Armp corps Oc-
tober "a, 1918; 104thl Infantry COM
mended in letter from the Hid.
18th Division, French, Novem-
Der II, 1918; cited in G. o. No.
1872, G. II. O., A. E. F., December 10,
1918: cited in G.. o. No. 23S, G. Fl. O.,
A. F.. F., Decent Der &c, 1918.
The 51st Artillery Brigade oper-
ated with the 26th Division during all
activities. Following the relief of the
division in the Aisr e. Marine offensive,
on July 25 1918, the brigade oper-
ated with the 10th, 42d and 4th divi-
sion, until relieved on August a.
METHODIST ELECT.