The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1919-05-03


practically impossible to bring up ra-
tions. On October 3 the first ration and
supply trains were able to bring up
supplies to the divisions fighting there
and from that date until the signing of
the armistice on November 18th that
single line kept four combat divisions
supplied and they never lacked for any
essential. For some time after the
armistice this battalion remained in the
Meuse-Argonne district. building, main
tanning and operating light railways in
the Verdun sector. Meanwhile. the other
battalions of the regiment had been at
tached to the second army and were
building and maintaining the light rail-
ways for the second army in the Toul
sector. That the performance of the
light railway trops was satisfactory to
the commander-in-chief can be judged
by a letter which General Pershing
sent to General Langfit chief engineer
of the A. F. F., which has just been cir
culated and made public. and from
which we quote the following extracts:
The department of light railways
and roads furnished the indispensable
link between the front lines and the
railroads" ITS record in the
construction and operation of light
railways and roads has seldom been
equaled
AS the 22nd Engineers was the only
light railway construction regiment in
the A.E. F.. the major part of the con-
struction work during the drive natural
~ fell to this regiment, although we re-
ceived considerable assistance from sew
eral regiments Of light railway operat-
ing engineers, road construction engi-
neers and pioneer infantry. The entire
regiment remained on active duty in the
Verdun and Toul sectors until it was
released from duty on the light rail-
ways on January 20. at which time the
other regiments on the light railways
were also released. BY that date much
of the system Of light railways had
been taken up and arrangements had
been made TO turn over to the French
military authorities the lines still re-.
mainng intact Through some misun-
Outstanding these plans were not car
ried into execution, and, although the
other light railway regiments have
been either returned 70 the United
states or have been placed on priority
list for selling, several battalions OF the
22nd Engineers are still retained on
that project.
Until January "a. 1919. no man of
this battalion had been granted leave
Of absence of any kind. while on French
soil; most of them had not seen
civilian from Sept. IS until that time;
very few had seen house or build
ing during that time that was not in
ruins. During the most of that time
the men worked at least ten hours per
lay for seven DAYS per week. no matter
what the weather We had no recrea-
ton or amusement of any kind for the
greater part of that period. But the
men knew that there same some meas
ure of necessity for those conditions
and bore them willingly. There was no
Kicking or grumbling while those in
evitable and unavoidable conditions ex-
listed
on March 1st the End battalion. hav-
ing been transferred TO the department
of forestry and construction of the S.
o. S. was moved to the present sta
tons; Company e" to which the writ
ers belong. being sent to the engineer
construction and storage camp at Post
Montierchaume. Indre.
According 10 a memorandum which
has just been issued by the general
staff of the service of supply. the sched
uIe for the return of troops to the Unit
ed States calls for the return of about
47O. 600 divisional troops and about 1914
600 S. o. S troops between now and
June so At the present time there are
according to this same memorandum,
720.769 divisional troops and 494.411 s.
O. s. troops in the A. E F. This means
n that about Sc per cent OF the divisional
troops will be sent home before June so.