Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-02-13


of the National Guard troops to emoark
overseas. bore itself with distinction and
gallantry, and that it contributed on
every battlefield to Americas real par
ticipation In the fighting and the UNI
broken success of our arms"
GENERAL MARGINS STATEMENT
Gen. Peyton C. March, chief OF staff.
provided MIR. Barrett with the following
summarized chronological statement Of
such activities Of these troops as are
now available in the war department"
'The Vermont troops were incorporated
into the 26th Division, the members being
distributed through the 1o1st Machine Gun
Battalion. io2nd Machine Gun Battalion,
102nd Infantry Regiment, 1o3rd Machine
Gun Battalion. 1Oist Ammunition Train
and tho 57th Pioneer Infantry Regiment
October 8. 1917. Division Headquarters
loft Boston. October 81, 1917, arrived at
y. S. p. O. No. 7O9, training area No 2
artillery at Coetquidan for training
Division trained intensvely in these
areas until early part of February. Feb
ruary o. 1918. entrained for front. Spent
one month OF trench instruction north Of
scissors with headquarters at Couvrelles
Division was placed with the French 18th
Army Corps.
March IS, 1915 Withdrawn to Bar
Sur Aube. March q, 1918 Upon compile
ton Of months tour ordered to line
northeast of Toul to assist In the emer-
gency. Division headquarters at Reynel
In this sector the division held a portion
or the line usually assigned to two divis-
| ions Was attacked twice by picked
| troops
April 10-1, 1918. The 10th was attacked
in the forest of Apremont. April 2C-2l
| 1913. The 1O2nd Infantry was attacked at
| Seicheprey. Both attacks were repulsed
From this date until June 80 the 18th
Division held the Toul sector with more
or less activity on both sides.
| About July :. moved to the Marine
front. July II. 1918. Send Brigade of 26th
attacked and took Torcy and Belleau.
July II. 1918. Whole division attacked,
reaching Bots d'Etrepilly.
July q, 1918. Withdrawn for rest.
Month OF August resting. First part of
September ordered to line at st. Mihiel.
September 49, 1918. On line near ST.
Hilaire. Usual trench warfare in the
vicinity Of Fresnes until October @.
October g. 1918. Attacked. Captured
Bots de Belleu. Bots de Warville and
| Bois d'Etraye
November II. 1918. Attacked. Halted
| by the armistice"
How glorious, appropriate and typical
| OF Vermont and New England men is tina t
last entry: "Attacked-Halted BY the
Armistice!' In other words, the Vermont
and New England boys were up and at it
to the very last minute. They stopped
hghting only under the orders of the ar
mistice and after repeated beating and
! driving no
ton OF the conflict not then come. / am
sure that to-day the Green Mountain and
New England boys would be In Berlin!
Let me. as native son of Vermont
whose New England ancestors on both
sides Of his family fought IN the War of
the Revolution, and who. in these recent
days. did everything in his power on the
international firing line at Washington
so to speak. to make sure that the other
America nations co-operated with the
United States in backing up the Vermont
and New England boys overseas. urge,
first. that the returning troops be shown
every consideration possible. both In the
hearty welcome extended and In the i'm
mediate unemployment provided for
them. and. second that not only Vermont
but every State of New England shall
thoughtfully and enthusiastically plan and
erect fitting memorial to those who were
killed In battle. died OF wounds. or other
wise persisted in the war service of their
| country.
Let us make sure that we will build for
all time--that such memorials will satisfy
not only the living. but meet. in our i'm
agination, the approval of those who have
gone to the realms of eternal peace. Let
these be so appropriately designed and
solidly constructed that our children. our
grand chldrn and future generations.
long after all OF US who are alive to-day
have Joined our soldier dead. shall ever be
reminded of the achievements of their an
cestors and inspired to preserve involate
the principles for which they laid down
their lives