Trench and camp., 1919-05-08
M P. S." OF RAINBOW DIVISION !
LAUD OTHERS. IN GREAT UNIT
Not One Execution In Division and Few,
Stragglers, Says Capt. Varney-Two
Get Crosses of Honor.

In the many things that may be
written about the Rainbow, or 42d Di-
vision, 1t will always be recalled by
Capt. Frank b. varney commander
of the 42d Military Police Company,
that he never had yellow man" in
his company and that there was not
single execution among the Rainbows
for a military offense.
Every man in the company was
right on the job all the time" said the
captain, while discharging his men
here, "and several times they volun-
teered for service with the infantry,
serving several days at the front"
1t is a notable fact that nearly all
the men of the company came from
Lynchburg, Va. This was the first
body of troops from that state to
reach France. the first to enter Bel
giuln, Luxembourg and Germany. or
the 23O men who served, two were
killed, Corp. Wade H. Miller and
.Sergt Clark, formerly of the 117th
- Trench Mortar Battery, who was lost
the same day he joined the command.
Stayed When French Left.
Because he directed traffic on a
shell-swept road, which had been de-
serted by the French military police.
Corp. Miller was awared the croix de
guerre by the commander of the
French army. The distinguished serv-
ice cross was given to Private Charles
G.. Hammond because he carried
wounded French officers through
shellfrc to safety. at Vadany.
For gallantry in action, saving all
the animals committed to his care
from death by artillery fire, Sergt. r.
b. Leonard was commended in the
Champagne and awarded a commits
sion.
When the Virginia battalion first
went to France, Maj. James $. shan
non, later colonel, was in command.
He was killed in acton. Another COM
mandcr was Maj. Marion S. Battle or
Roanoke, while still another was
Mai Emory G. Worthington. Maj. AL
len Potts. a former newspaper editor
of Richmond, was also once IN COM
mand and returned to the battalion 10
bring it baci. home.
Other Officers.
Other officers with the 42d Com
pany were: Eieuts. T.. V. Butts. r. >.
Brosch. Norman +. Mott, A. 5. Cowen,
W. e. BaIlantyne, w. Il. Ewers, way
land s. BoWser and Whiting II. Pres
ton. In the battalion were Capt. r.. Z.
Harrison as adjutant; Capt J. s. Gray
and Lieut. L. H Woods, supply omcer.
Capt. Varney has written letter to
his wife which he calls The Wander
ings Of the ShaWneeS," this being the
name under which the unit was
known in Lynchburg. 1t is a very IN
teresting first-hand account or Wnat
the company did in France, and mas
been published widely in southern pa
perS.
Contrary to expectations there was
little work for the company to do In
rounding up stragglers. The Ram
bows wanted to fight. and the 1eW
men who retreated from the front
lines were found generally to be bad
ly she'll shocked and in need or medi-
cal treatment Capt. Varney ana ms
men had large areas to cover, ana ex-
tended their work as far back as III
teen kiIometers from the front lines
to a position far in advance or the
artillery.
Pershing's Appreciation.
Besides being cited as a company by
Mai Gen. Flaglef, division COM
mander the men take great pride in
the work of the division as whole,
and point to Gen. Pershing's citation
as a short resume and appreciation OF
what the Rainbow men accomplished
for world freedom. The citation says:
1t afforded me great satisfaction to
inspect the 42d DIVISION at Remagen'
March Is, during Ily trip through the
Sd Army, and to extend at that time
to the officers and men my apprecia-
tion of their splendid record while in
France.
The share which the 42d Division
has had in the success of our armies
should arouse pride in its achieve
ments among all ranks. Arriving, as
it did, on November /. 1917, it was one
of the first of our combat divisions to
participate in active operations. After
a period of training, which lasted
through the middle of February, 1918.
it entered the Luneville sector. in Lor-
raine. and shortly afterward took up
a position in that part of the line near
Baccarat,
In July 1t smagnfficently showed its
lighting ability in the CbampegneA