Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1919-03-07
LOCAL MAN SERVED IN
AMERICAN GAS REGIMENT

&
George W. Jones. Short Line ma
ch.nist at Montpelier. returned LAS
week from overseas. where he serv
cd nearly a year in the First Amer
can Gas Regiment In noting tbs
return OF this regiment the New
York Herald OF Feb. says:
The only offensive gas troops OF
tho American Expeditionary Force,
that left the United States on Janu-
lry IS. 1913. six companies strong.
consisting OF $50 men each. returned
home yesterday after a little more
than years absence. during which
time they did much toward turning
tho tide OF war in favor of the Allies
and bringing about the armlatlce
that practically ended the struggle
on the western front
The men, known az the Chemical
Warfare battaliOns, returned home
on board the steamship Celtic, q
White Star line vessel. at present in
the British transport service. from
BreBt, which port they left on jan
uaFy 2b, almost year 20 a day from
the date they landed on French ter
ritory.
There were 3.l14 officers and men
on board the Celtic. Of which the
First Gas regiment. under Major
John b. Carlock, numbered &c ON
GERS and 1852 men. or the original
members OF the unit only nifty per
cent returned yesterday, the other
half being Casualties, some of whom
have arrived among the sick and
wounded on other Transports.
From tho very start tho First reg
iment was in the heaviest of the
lighting. The gas fighters had to be
In the front. because they had, by
reason Of their peculiar duties. to
pave the way for the infantry and
draw the enemy artillery fire 80 that
the batteries OF the enemy could be
located by the allied gnnners.
First brigaded with the British.
the American troops soon vent Into
action with their own units. This WAS
toward the end OF April, last year,
and from that moment the First Gaa
regiment was used In all the sectors
In which there were American forces
and took part In every engagement
at Toui. the VosFea, Chateau ThIer-
ry, St Mihiel and the Argonne.
At one time the gas fighters OF the
regiment fought forty out nf forty.
nine consecutive days without ! let
up. According TO Major Carloek. the
First Gas regiment used three meth
DDS of attack. One was BY means of
syiinders, used only In trench var
fare. Those cylinders weighed lao
POUNDS each, and dropped containers
2f liquid gas that weighed from six
~ TO seventy pounds.
Another method was by means Of
projectors, which we're used moon
concentrated enemy troops or In mo-
bile warfare. They sent thirty
hound bombs. containing thirty
sounds Of liquid gas. from batteries
electrically, from Eve
hundred 70 Eve thousand ct q time.
Then there were the four inch
9tokes nortars. used principally on
enemy machine gun nesta. These
e7ortars threw pTOjectiles that we're
med to explode over the located ma
hine gnn nests Of the enemy and
print1e the Huns with liquid Kaa
nd thermite. which Is. TO ali intents
md purposes. molten metal
The American gas fighters also
we're expert in preparing smoke
screens by which they assisted tbs
infantry in advancing against the
anemy machine gun nests.
Tho major said the success or the
Amarican troops In crossing the Ne
rise At the Yesle on November 10,
he day before the signing Of the ar
was largely due to the smoke
Greens prepared for the infantry and
the exact locating Of the nemy artiI-
iery acoss the river.
Among the officers and men of the
as fighters there were eighty croIx
IL GHerre. twenty-siK Distinguished
serviee Crosses and twelve officers
have been cited for the Distinguished
5fsrvfee Modal. This. according TO
zsual oficeTs. who also were on
'serd the Celtic. n = splendid record
single regiment
We had wonderful opportunities