Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-06-03
Rslasl o. Shine Csa-
fe.sss H;s War Ser
vice Story Was Tale

In it's issue Of March ~ there was
printed In the Times Republican under
the caption In large type, Served sIs
Days on Firing Line" "a statement
given the newspaper by Roland ..
Shine. of near Liscomb. This story
purported to recount some Of the SER
vice Of Shine who served with the
First gas ana flame regiment III
France,
Summarized, the statement was to
the effect that Shine was under IRE
for ga days and that he entered the
front lines with the British In Ffan-
ders, Feb. Z. 1918. 1t went on to tell
how Shine was In the Chateau rhierry
drive where he was awarded the
French .croix de suerrc by General
Foch. Continuing, 1t recounted how ne
was wounded ard how he was IN the
drive at st. Mihiel where General Fer
shinS added a palm to the French war
cross for an exploit when Shine was
with Corporal John Lusk when the
latter bayone.ed one Hun and cap
tured twenty three others Shine said
that ne was O sergeant and 1t was so
printed.
-ceived two signed statements from
commissioned and n-commissioned
officers of the First gas and flame re-
giment, that Is still in service In
France, in which practically all OF the
more important statements made by
Shine were denied and branded as I'M
truths.
Not wanting to let stand incorrect
ed such glaring misstatements and
Misrepresentation Of the facts Of the
service of any soldier or army unit
after 1t knew the statements 1T print
ed were untrue, the Times Republican
gave Shine the choice OF signing re-
traction for publication or having
printed the signed statements of the
officers OF his old regiment. He chose
the former course as the easier. His
signed statement follows:
I, Roland D. Shine. Of Liscomb. for
merly Of the Thirtieth engineers, later
the First gas and flame regiment, that
saw service IN France, hereby make
the following statement, correcting the
statements given the Times Republican
and printed by it in its issue of March
81, which recounted my service under
the caption, Served 273 Days on the
Firing Line:
In that statement l said that I was
attached to the British at Ypres, as
early as Feb. Z, 1918. when, In fact 1t
was as late as March l. 1918, when
Company A. with which served, was
attached with the British special royal
engineers in Flanders.
IT. that statement said that I got
:nto the drive at Chateau Thierry,
wnen. in fast was not myself in the
Fighting at Chateau Thitrry at al.
altho / contend that I was detail-i
from Company %" with Company b
at Chateau Thicrry and was hauling
ammunition.
In that statement I said that I was
q sergeant when in fact 1 was never
commissioned a. sergeant and have no
commission to prove it.
In that statement I said that was
awarded me such a palm and had no
General Foch, who pinned it on me
and kissed me, when, in fact l was
never awarded the French war cross
and was never kissed by General
Foch., .....,s
III That statement 4 said that for
services at st. Mihiel General Pershing
added the palm to thc~French croix de
guerre that had been awarded me,
when, in fact General Pershing never
awarded me such palm and had not
authority to award any allied decora-
ton.
In that statement said that I was
with Corporal John Lusk, of Company
E. when he bayoneted one Hun and
captured twsnty-three others in the
st. Mihiel drive. when, in fact I was
not with Corporal Lusk at all when he
captured these Germans. 1t was for
my part in this exploit that I said
General Pershing adde1 the palm to
my French war cross.
In this statement l said that was
wounded and was turned out Of the
hospital and went back into service
before my wounds were healed. This
statement was not true.
further stare that have no right
to wear q serseantis chevrons upon
my sleeve nor the French war cross
upon my blouse as I have been doing
since returned home. Roland, o.
Shine.
Dated at arshalltown, June 2, 1919.
CDENHEP UEPv NAJ