The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1920-02-26

October 10th, l death
Screw of Leviathan, deaths
On board ship Col. Fred b. Thomas
Of Montpelier was commander of the
guard; Lieut.-Col. b. S. Hyland of
Rutland was in charge of the messing.
These officers performed their duties
with ability. Among other officers
Capt. Guy Cowen of Rutland and Capt.
John + Sullivan Of st. Adams had inn
portant positions and rendered most
efficient service. The administration
force of the regiment was crippled.
All Of the sergeants major with the
exception of Frank McLaren of Ben
nington were sick. McLaren was on
duty day and night, and he did his
work with a cheerfulness that was
heartening to all who came in contact
with him. . Capt. C. N. Barber of
Mortified, regimental adjutant just
recovering from an operation, laboring
under great suffering, stuck to his
post as long as possible.
Upon the arrival at Brest the organ
izations were lightered ashore and
were marched about five miles to the
mud flats beyond the city Of Brest.
This proved a REPETITION of our march
to Alpine Landing. The lassitude of
the men made it impossible for hum
dreds of them to make camp with their
comrades. They were picked up by
Y. NJ. C. A. and X. c. men and ambu-
lances and taken to hospitals or help
ed into camp. That night the men
slept in their pup tents and in the
mud.
The only area to the camping area
was through lane filled with slip
perry French mud. The two adjutants
were up a good portion of the night
lighting the stragglers down the lane
to where their companies were billet
ed. Several hundred never reached
camp or their organizations. The hos
pital record shows that 1913 of our reg
iment died at the Kehruon hospital,
nearly 40 at Base Hospital No. 80,
several at the Naval Base Hospital
and some at Landernau. All of these
deaths occurred within a few days of
landing. The remainder Of the reg
iment almost Immediately proceeded
to the advanced sector, and several
more men died at Base Hospital No.
Is at Chaumont, and the hospital near
Humes.
In those few tragic days Vermont
lost some Of her finest young men. The
names Of some Of the Vermonters fol-
William p. Tighe, Rut-
land; Reg. Sgt. Maj. Elmer A. Grey,
Brattleboro; Color Sgt. Thomas A. La
Fond, Rutland; Sup Sgt. Charles NJ.
Bccl1with, Bethel; 1st Sgt. Z. II. John
son, Lyndonville; LIST Sgt. r. d. Wake
field, Burlington; Sgt. Gordon A. Pres
ton, Fair Haven; Mess Sgt. Fred +.
Bastian, Brattleboro; Sgt. Joseph Var
ker, Brattleboro; Cook Eugene J. Bel
anger, Montpelier; Corpl. Howard l..
Bailey, johnson; Corpl Francis A.
Guild, Orleans; Priv. John A. Mac
Donald, Brattleboro; Colpl. Grover,
Townshend; Corpl. Arthur J. Desilcts,
Montpelier; Priv. Walter Z. Webb;
Priv. Carmi Reed.
Nearly 200 Of our regiment men
who died at Brest, arc buried il the
American cemetery at LambczeiIcc
This cemetery IS well located on O.
height 81 land. from which orr locke
Bg t5 tEe Wet towards ~ Laul 81
Lav. a6u - ne distance
lie wee IL the great oe
eng the eepe from then ho eaa
ore 81 ny Et acts before leaving
France v . Wit ttis cemetery ples
elt tie graves = 81 vcrnoate-. pag
nor to their sacrifice. anI ay vaIl
q farewell 10 these men who s.ep
Il ere in che soil Il our sister Repab-
E 81. GIBSON