The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1920-01-29

Sh o'faN 500 81 ftt'a AlANA ~ t-t''
time has been spent in the trenches
IN the front line. and We have had az
excellent opportunity 70 know and
appreciate the value Of the work the
Y. NJ c. A. is doing said Ma. L. d
Turner. Infantry. Goth Division
u. S r.. in recent statement made
here
7 have personally Witnessed the
Y NJ C. A. DELIVERING cigarettes.
chocolates and newspapers TO our
men while in the front lines under
almost continuous artillery and ma
chine gun fire
The highest compliment you can
pay soldier is to say thar he did his
duty. Can ! say more when ! say
that the Y NJ G. A. workers have
not only done their duty. hut have
gone often times far beyond tina, and
made personal sacrifices which have
been an inspiration 10 al who saw
them
The Y NJ. C. A workers nave
taught the soldiers OF the United
States army many lessons in self
sacrifice and have left a memory OF
deeds well done which will never be
forgotten by those who saw the"
Capt. Dudley r. Dawson, 357th
Field Hospital. A. Il. r.. supplements
Maj. Turner's statement with this
opinion OF the "Y."
while the general tendency TO
criticise the Y NJ e. A. service with
the army exists. let me pay my re-
spects 10 the loyalty and devotion
which was characteristic OF the vast
majority OF their workers. in the at
tempt TO do one Of the hardest jobs
of the entire war program. They /
had received no preliminary training {
for this work and Il Is only fair and !
reasonable to assume that perfect /
ly working system was absolutely /
impossible under the circumstances" +
Capt Dawson calls attention to the
problem OF securing. Transporting
and delivering canteen supplies for
an army OF 1900 900 men. especially
when troops were being rushed from
one point to another under secret
orders and Y. n G. A. department
heads were not informed by military
authorities where to send their sup
plies That the Y. NJ. {. A., in the
amount OF stationery alone that Il
distributed to the soldier. deserves
great credit. is the statement made
BY the officer
III the average critics will only
take the time 70 compute the pnor- ;
nous amount OF work done by the Y. /
M G. A. for the good Of the American {
soldier and his family, he will be ,
greatly surprised by the volume OF =
things actually accomplished. states :
Dawson
During three weeks In which q
was located at Baccarat had the ,
pleasure Of meeting the majority OF +
he Y NJ. e. A. men who were with s
,ur Division, and as whole / found Il
hem TO be patriotic and sincere in o
heir efforts 10 accommodate and q
ierve the American officers nd sol. !,
Hers. One OF my duties was 10 20 y
o the forward areas for the purpose !,
Il famiiiarizing myself with the
Dads and terrain. and In an these
rips ] made it a custom to look up
he Y NJ c. A hut in every little vii
age where our troops were chartered
meet the secretary and investigate
be character and size OF the stock
D his csnteen. and his general capac-
y to meet the needs Of the soldiers.
he last two weeks OF our occupancy -
this sector ] was stationed Al =,
Ieryillon. little village some fopr -
ilometers toward the front line -
ON Baccarat. and my company had
barge OF the abulance service ~ ~
he whole sector. This gave me a
olendid opportunity 70 observe The "
ork OF the Y NJ. G A In this sector ~
I'D ! would say that on the whole II
as highly satisfactory a.
AFTER a total stay OF five weeks in
ts sector tho Division was taken -,
convoy into the Argonne- Mouse =,
ctor. Realizing with What dim
lily v as an army made this move. "
can easily see that il vas quito a
hcult task for our Y. NJ c. A unIt
follows as. FOR there was ALWAYS
eh shortage o. transportation In
r Division that we could scsrcely az
lve ourselves and maintain opr an
pply department so We we're Nf
ually unable to offer assistance 10 soc
e y. NJ G. A. 30 the transportation 70
their canteen supplies.
Yet ! recall quite vlyicly nv com ~.
te surprise 10 end On the pert -
: after our arrival in the B0is de -,
sse that the Y. ~ c. a. had opened -,
arge stock room and canteen only -
j kiometers 70 our rear IN the 90
age Of Becioourt ! Immediately d
nt 70 the csnteen ana purchased the
.oodly supply o. cigars. cirarettes. 1hy
les and chocolate f9r tire men. Wo
: - ~ cormars Cor