The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1919-04-24
Son of Mr.. and Mrs. z. G.
Simmons Returns To Keno
sha After Long Service
At st. Nazaire.
FRENCH WERE WONDERFUL ("
Sgt. Simmons Has Most Profound Re-
spect For France Supply System
Was Marvelous-Left Today for
the Southwest.

II didn't see any fighting and I
was never under fire; but I did see the
amazing organization by which the men
on the firing line were kept supplied
with food, clothing, and munitions Of
war and I'm convinced that it was re-
sponsible in no small degree for the
final victory at the Marne.'
| This was the most striking postwar
statement made today by Sergeant
Grant Gilbert Simmons, who returned
to Kenosha on Sunday after almost
two years service overseas. After vol
unteering in June, 1917, AIR. Sim
mons was sent to France on July Goth
Of the same year. He reports that
there were no submarines on the voy-
age and that it was tkmost delight
full trip He was sent Immediately
to st. Nazaire where he soon won his
sergeant's chevrona and a responsible
position with the 18th Engineers Of the
American Expeditionary Forces in
France.
cit WASH t romantic he comment
ed this morning, but it was tremend-
ously interesting to see the way that
men were literally welded into a great
machine pouring the sinews of war In
to the greater machine at the front.
"The personnel system employed in
the supply department. was marvellous.
Every man of the $4,000 attached to
the 18th Engineers was infinitely ex-
amined, archaeological and tagged
until there was absolutely no chance
of putting square pegs in round holes.
And that Is the reason there was such
q high morale at the front. The men
were persuaded that their government
was providing handsomely for them
and showed their gratitude by fighting
like fiends at Chateau Thierry and in
the Argonne Forest.
~ almost got to Chateau Thierry, "
he added with bit Of usefulness in
his voice. ftThe 9th and 9th Marines
were stationed at ST. Nazaire for q
while and they wanted us for their
pioneer engineers when they went in
along the Aisne. But it couldn't be
aTranged-so we stayed at st. Nazaire
while they were winning crosses at
Chateau Thierry.
tBy the way he added, "the Ma
rines shouldn It have all the credit for
turning the tide in July. The dough
boys fought splendidly and deserve q
good bit Of the over-praise that went
to the Devil-Dogs. !"
Sergeant Simmons has near-sacred
admiration for the French. He says
that judging from his observation as
regimental supply sergeant for the 18th
Engineers, France furnished more than
half Of all the materials of war used by
all the Allied armies and that in spite
Of the fact that most of her men be-
tween the ages Of eighteen and forty
five were on the firing line,
ct don't know how they did it,
he declared with real reverence in his
tone, sbut they did in that way they
have Of performing miracles. They had
nothing to say about it. They just
carried on without Boosting and were
perfectly willing that America or any.
one else should have the credit for
winning the war, SO long as it was won
and won right. I don It like the way
some American soldiers talk about the
French. They weren t vultures at all.
The American soldiers threw their
money at them and naturally, siace
they had been all but pauperized by
the war, they gathered in as much Yam
kee gold as they could, not because
they are greedy but because they were
facing poverty and starvation and
welcomed anything that offered new
chanee.o
In connection with his duties at
st. Nazaire Sergeant Simmons was
frequently in charge Of great gangs of
German prisoners. He declared that
ways "overjoyed to be prisoners. /" He
also says that they feared nothing 50
much as an exchange that would send
them back TO Germany.
After a dinner in his honor at the
home Of Mr.. and Mrs. E. L. Grant
shortly after noon today Sergeant and
Mrs. Simmons left Kenosha for Cali
fornia where they will spend few
weeks before the sergeant's return to
civil duties in EKenosha.