Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1920-12-30
BANouEr FoR sonDIERs.
FIRST Annual Affair OF Tom Hall
Guards Enjoyed by Many.

=
Guards Enjoyed by Many.
A delightful affair of Monday eve
Z ming was the first annual banquet
: OF the Tom Hall Guards. Fort Mil
unit OF tho National Guard of the
United States. In the company arm
ory for two gcore 1gpests, including ~
Z number from Rock Hill, and 75 or
more members OF the ,organisation.
The banquet was spread upon long
/ tables and the men detailed to see
that the wants OF every one were
isppplied from the excellent menu
that had been prepared for the 6ci
tcesion were freely, congratulated
upon the way In which their duties
!. were performed.
This guests were for the most part
sformer service men who had done
their bit overseas in the World war.
,All the speakers OF the evening
lpfaised the work done by the Fort
mill company as a part of the 11Sth
regiment, 36th division, and EXPRESS
ed the belief that should the Tom
Hall Guards ever be called into
service and have the opportunity to
show the mettle OF which it is made
1T would acquit itself with equal
credit. The adjutant general of
South Carolina remarked to me a
few days ago." said one OF the speak
ers. "that NO other military company.
In the State had as fine prospects as
the Tom Hall Guards" now recruited
up to 100 men, the maximum
strength allowed by the war depart.
Arthur C. Lyle, first lieutenant,
to whom much credit is given for
the organization of the company,
was toastmaster OF the evening. Fol-
lowing asfew 9ilntroductory remarks
Mr.. Lytle Introduced w. r. Bradford
as the first speaker of the evening
Years ago Mr.. Bradford was a men,
ber Of the old Fort Mill company.
- Georgei Fish. general manager Of
the plants OF the Fort Mill Manufac-
turirx cQptpany. made a pleasing
talk IN ehich he referred to his boy
hood DAYS I'm England and told how
~ thrpied ms heart as 1t did other
ybuthfal heafts Of that day to see the
'2ounnzles come marching by in
tpsir eplck and span uniforms. Mr..
fasfs aid that dt made better man
Of any young felIowstc be a member
Of a military ofganixation The, rec
I prd made sby Fort Mil in the World
war tp KNOWN all over the country"
he said citing Instances OF manufac-
tarersfln tho North In conversation
With him having voluntarily referred
TO- what the community did In the
4 struggle against the Germans
Major Lindsay McFAdden of Rock
Hin. who went oyersoas as the cap
TAIN OF the .Rofk Hiil lScompsny, told
cf the pleasure It gave him as a for.
nRers member OF the 11Sth regiment
to be present at the banquet and to
again rub elbows with the men he
had seen service with In Belgium
and France. Major McFadden con-
gfatulated the Tom Hall Guards upon
: its soldierly appearance and its pros
! poets for a career OF usefulness and
then told, Interestingly of the close
reiationship OF the Fort Mill and
= Rock Hill companies as they were
facing the enemy In Europe.
j The next speaker OF the evening
was Capt. j. c. Dozier OF Rock Hill.
distinguished veteran OF the World
I war, who. as a lieutenant with the
Fort Mill company initiated a. sue
cessfui movendent against the Ger
mans for winch he was awarded the
icongressionaf medal of honor. the
highest decoration bestowed by the
American government. Capt. Dozier
referred feelingly to the imemberss of
the old Fort Mil company who lost
their lives In upholding the country's
cause and gave unstinted praise to
the gallxntry OF sergt Thomas Hall.
who also was awarded posthumously
I the fcon ETesifona1S medal of BhoTor
and for whom the local company was
named. Capt. aDozier recently = has
been elected captain of ! the Frank
Roach Guards OF Rock Hill, an
other military organization which
has honored the memory of local
boy who made the supreme sacrifice.
3 Thos, b. spratt. former lieutenant
colonel Of st1<e a 1SthS infantry. 30ths
division. told o. the distinguished
work Of the Fort NM company In
the World war, "Aecording to the
records. the a0th diSision made a
name for itself overseas. To the
I1ath regiment. OF which had the
honor to be one OF the officers and
OF which the Fort Mill and Rock
Hill companies were units. must go
the credit OF first breaking through
the Hfndenburge line. The Fort Min
company lost more men in killed and
wounded. than any other. company in
the sr1giInent. .sItAis bestde the aues-
tiQh4&t&lk OF the 2 27thsS Sdiyisiop K New
York )Fb6pg the fifstf divtsionsfo bait.
ter down the Hndenburg line. After
the S0th had broken through the
line. the New York division got
{ through at another point Atwo, hours.
later" Amy claim to the..contrary,
said Col. Sprat.. was not worth con-
sidering. Col. Spratt said the officers
of the tom Haal Guards were due
much credit for, having put the. COM.
pAny on ith feet In so short a time
and he Nss cure the record Of sltc
company would not be disappointing.
Ghort talks also were made by DR..