The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-05
NEW YORK'S HEROIC 9TH DIVISION
SMASF4ER OF THE FIINDENBURG LINE
Personalities of Men From All Walks
in Life Who Brought Lustre to
the Empire State

SeVeWH DiViNOH NNeW Vh
tionaI Guard) and its fighting in
Flanders thus far have been frag-
nfentary, consisting mainly OF Of
fetal reports and letters of indi-
viduals. Now comes story from
one of THE SUMS correspondents,
a tale bristling with the personality
of the men who broke the linden
burg line.
I have visited the heroic Twenty
seventh Division in its repose at Mont
fort after hard combats. / have seen
Gen. Organ in his chateau and Divi-
sion Judge Advocate kIncaid in his
snug but stuffy two story offices Ca
transformed shop on the muddy main
street. / ought to have seen Col
Ward, formerly adjutant of the divi-
sion, but he was FIVE miles away
through the mud, driZZle and growing
twilight OF those awful roads.
Bad roads?" laughed Sergeant, Ben
jamin F. Bingham. cousin OF the eX-
Police Commissioner, Gen. Bingham,
and a noted despatch rider. I'VE think
the roads are fine down here: there's
not a crump hole and after six months
night riding without lanterns under
fire up there my headlights seem like
day on these roads OF the garden of
France!" (He lost fifteen riders-five
killed by one shell, six wounded by en-
envy fire and four in smashups.)
Here are the latest facts about the
breakers of the Hindenburg line. You
will get nothing more detailed until you
greet the boys at the pier.
1t is an unusual division. 1t differs |
from most in that its General COM
manding and practically his entire |
staff had not been pre-war soldiers. but |
devoted years to the National Guard OF |
the State-a National Guard stan per-
sisting without change throughout the |
war AS division it Is said to have |
borne one-tenth of the losses of the |
A. f. F.. As to its greatest exploit, 1t |
was brigaded with the Fourth British |
Army in the fighting at lie Cateiet |
where it broke what the Germans con- |
sdered unbreakabe in the engage |
ments of Bony, Bellicourt and st. Sou
plet.
""As" NE" H" inc A"eA'
The attack began September 81 in a |
local action in which the 106th Infan- !
try. made up OF old Brooklyn National
Guard regiments, broke through the |
German position at the Bellicourt |
Canal hy frontal assault The 106th is
commanded by Col. Franklin w. Ward |
already mentioned, long secretary to
the Armory Board at Albany and we'll
known in military circles for work
on coast artillery used as a textbook at
WJst Point. This operation was in the
nature of a diversion, but on Septem-
Der 20 the entire Fourth British Army
attacked, preceded BY a barTage which
was probably the most severe in the
war. being at some points 1000 wards
deep.
The Twenty-seventh in this grand
affair was supported on the left by
the Australian division. and l am put
on honor 10 make clear that the New
York bows claim as brothers in arms
the infantry OF, the Thirtieth Division,
A. +. F.. made up of old Tennessee
regiments Zone OF those old regi-
ments was reviewed by Lafayette
when he went to Nashville in 1920.
I'VE want nothing that the Thir-
tieth does not share" said Col. Leslie
Kincaid. " think he would even share
his D. s. o. won by distinguished
gallantry and leadership against the
Hindenburg line, when he, Judge Adj
yocate, volunteered to command =
oa.'ai'oh OF ti.e lVo'ii BECAUSE Vi .ne
being counter attacked without re-
serves, he organized his runners, sig
nalmen and stra gglers. himself operat-
ing a Lewis gun, and beat them back.
This DISTINGUISHED Service Order.
which is British. ranks lust below the
Victoria Cross. which can ONLY be
awarded to British subjects. 1t is
not To be confounded with the Dis
tineuished Conduct Medal equally
British. or the American DISTINGUISHED
Service Cross. won by MANY of the
division. along with the British Mill
tary Cross and Military Medal. AS
far as can learn the othe;. ID s. @.
of the division il Major Emanuel
Cyoldstein OF the Medical CORPS. at
tached to the lO2d Engineers. for CON
tinually giving first aid to wounded
men. under heavy shell and machine
gun fire. in the most exposed posi-
tions. II is said TO he a wonder how
he came out of il alive. PARTICULAR,
on September 20. Col Kincald is from
Syracuse, ~ Y He spent a couple
of years in the state Legislature. and
was chairman of the Military Affairs
Committee Of the Assembly.
run" Wv" '"''s Oh Nr""r'