The diamond drill., 1919-05-03

The following information in re-
gard 10 the evacuation OF the 2Dth
Engineers was given out on April Z
by the commanding officer OF the goth
Engineers Forestry TO the Batal-
lion commanders. Todd Webb. who
sends the bulletin. says he thinks the
engineers have been handed a nice
% package. and. according to the
nearest information tney can get they
will be over there until HI freezes
over. The engineers who went TO
France In 1917 are still there
Hdqs. 20th Engineers. France.
April 7th, 1919.
To Battalion Commander:
wish TO have you and the officers
and soldiers under your command
understand fully the situation with
reference TO the evacuation OF troops
from France and the factors which
will in a broad way determine the
dates when your own units may ex-
pect TO embark The first obligation
OF the director OF construction and
forestry Is 10 complete the work
which he has been instructed 10 do
by the general stan. All OF the per
sonnel in the division has been
drawn upon TO meet many special re-
quirements in the way OF road re-
pairs, new construction projects al
embarkation camps. and the like
which have arisen since the armis-
tice. This work is not yet done and
fresh demands for the assignment OF
engineer troops 10 work necessary for
the proper evacuation OF the Ameri-
can r. r. still arise from time 10
time
Just as fast as the work which the
division is obligated TO perform is
provided for, the director OF c. & r.
proposes 10 evacuate the troops in
the division in the order in which
they came 10 France This Is obvious
ly the only fair basis to take There
are still engineer units in France.
wearing three service stripes, which
came in the summer OF 1917; and II
is necessary in the interests OF fair
ness, that these units be evacuated
first Evacuation will then proceed.
just as far as possible. In the order
in which all OF the units now COM
prised in the division OF c. & F. ar
rived in France.
1t must be Understood that after a
unit is released by the director for
return to the United States its prior
ity on the sailing list in relation to
all other s. o s. and combat units
which have been released, is fixed by
the General Staff: hence, that a de-
lay may ensue between the time when
forestry unit IS released by the d.
rector OF G. & +. and the date OF its
actually being ordered to an embark &,
alton camp. The actual fixing OF
embarkation dates (Which, OF course,
involves the whole question Of the
amount Of shipping available and the
rate at which combat divisions are
being returned TO the United States !
is thus entirely beyond the control |
OF the director lie can simply make |
from time to time
as TO the units which can be released !
from the work OF his division.
The work OF the 2Oth Engineers
hds now reached a point where bar
ring conditions which are not now [
forseen. the companies comprising |
the 20th Engineers can be evacuated !
just as fast as their turns come In |
the general priority list OF the divis-
ion / will do everything possible 10 |
see 70 IL that no unit Is held in !
France a day longer than It IS pos
sible 10 get a place for Il on the sail
ing list in fairness to the other units |
In construction aud forestry. This |
policy can be followed straight thru |
IL the troops OF the 20th Engineers |
push the work still In hand with |
their old spirit and do their best |
while still in France. toward finish
ing the job which sull remains for
the forestry section to do
Please have copy OF this letter |
furnished to every company in your
command aud read to the troops
j. A. WOODRUFF.
Colonel, Engineers, Commanding |