Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-04-29
A ZIMMERMAN REGIMENT
Turned Out 5000 Cords Daily
for Fuel Alone
The Seventh battalion Was Placed AT
|Di.possI of the French Government
which in Turn Gave tho I. :.
Much Valuable Aid

Flow the Twentieth, the biggest regi-
lent in the world, made up of lumber
zen and foresters, fooled the Germans
nj saved ammunition dumps and big
awmills from the Hun homhcrs is tod
v Percival Sheldon Ridsdaie. secretary
f the American Forestry association oil
Washington, n. g., who recently return
RI from a three-montns tour of France.
elciun and England investigating the
crest losses Of those countries. The as
ociation has planned to aid in the re-
|orestation of those countries. also OF
tally.
The biggest mills operated by the
twentieth Regiment" says Mr. lHdSdaIe,
vas at Eclaron, in the forests of Ar
onne These were situated near big
ammunition dumps and rs the plant was
. un all day and all night, being oIoc'ri-
| ally lighted. il made very good tar
ct The mills were bombed several
mes but none Of the workers was in
lred nor was much damage done. ana
nally real American trick resulted IN
misleading the German bomhers that
he danger was entirely overcome. This
rick was devised by Major Spencer who,
ealizinE that the electrically lighted mill
ombers. ran electric wires into the
eavv woods for distance of one-third
mile from the mill and installed
lumber of electric lights on the trees.
Whenever an alarm of an air raid came,
he lights of the mill were cXtinguishod
nd the lights among the trees one-third
{ a mile from the mill were lighted by
Wtching on the current and Were kept
lazinc while the Germans wasted bombs
n them and inflicted damage only on
ONE of the trees.
Other mills up along the fighting front
we're also bombed frequently, but with
Ut serious damage"
Continuing his statement about some
&f the wonders accomplished by this
egiment of lumbermen and foresterS
uring the war, Mr.. Ridsdale writes in
he American Forestry Magazine:
THE regimInt was composed of ~
Companies Of approximately 80 men
ach. divided into II hattaIions and hav-
ng connected with it 36 Engineer Service
,om panie5 or labor troops. If was or
anized originally TO contain 4s compan-
RS, but the 18th added in France,
eng composed of members of the New
England Saw Mill Unit who had spent
most two years in cutting in the Scotch
orests, Three ofhccrs ana W men Voiuh-
eered as a nucleus OF tnls company the
III compliment was secured ny SetuhS
nen from Other organizations.
The chief forest cutting OF the reg
nent was in the Nosges section with
Tpina as headquarters. At Eclaron III
he forests Of Argonne was the largest
ngle installation. a mill capable Of ship
bing as it did. an average of five thous-
nd ties day. This mill furnished duck
cards. bridge tmbers, piles and poles
tc., for the LIST and I'd Armies.
The amount of wood required by sn
rmy for fuel in winter especially. is not
ppreciated by the civilian. For in
lance, at the time of the armstico was
igned, Lieutenant Colonel A. S. Peck
SISTED bv Major r. J. Stuart. Captain
Donald Bruce, Captain Joseph Kit
ridge. Jr., some 20 lleutonants and q
ergeants Of the Goth. had charge of TO-,
IN cuartermastcr troons all colorod. cut
Ing fire wood for the lst and I'd Ancri.
an Armies. at the lighting front with