Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-03-18

and moved by determination to prove
that Augusta has life and PRIDE
enough to maintain first class unit
of the line, accepted the mission and
got busy. The response to the call
, came slowly but surely. and finally
sixty men banded together and were
accepted as a. part of the 3rd Infantry.
Captain Swift is graduate of Cony
High school and Bowdoin College
He enlisted at the Plattsburg training
camp May IA, 1917. was commissioned
second lieutenant in Augusta of that
wear. and assigned to the 151st Depot
Brigade, Camp Devens. He was pro-
noted to LIST lieutenant Dec. 81, 1917
and in July, 1918, was transferred to
the 18th Division at Camp Devens and
placed in command of Company B.,
18th Divisional Military Police. He
was promoted to a captaincy August
"a, 1918 and was discharged Feb. 4,
1919 at Camp Devens. Upon his dis
charge he was recommissioned a cap
tain in the reserve corps. and now
holds the rank of captain in the Ma
tional Guard, dating Feb. Is, 1921.
! First Lieutenant Simpson, an en-
gineer on the State Highway Depart
ment. enlisted May IL. 1917 at the
PIattsburg training camp. and in the
following fall was commissioned a
End lieutenant Soon after receiving
his commission. he went overseas as
a casual and for six weeks was con-
nected with the British expeditionary
forces in Belgium. He attended the
infantry school at Langres, France,
and in August 1918, was assigned to
, the 31Sth Infantry of the S0th Divi-
sion. He was mustered out of the
service May 6, 1919 at Camp Lee, Vir-
GINA. He now holds the rank of lst
lieutenant of infantry in the National
Guard.
Second Lieutenant Sprague Of Cony
High school. was member of Com
pany NJ, second Maine Infantry. when
| it went to the Mexican border in
/ 1916 Later he became 1st sergeant
of Company M of the 103rd Infantry
! (26th Division) and was with that
outfit overseas under the command
of Col. Frank M. Hume. He was
gassed at the battle of Chateau
| Thierry. July 10, 1918. He received
citations for bravery from Gen. John
J. Pershing, commander of the expe-
dictionary forces, and Gen. Clarence
r. Edwards. commanding the 26th
Division. His commission as End
lieutenant in the National Guard
dates from Feb. 16, 1921.
No appointments of commits
stoned officers have yet been made.
| because a thorough work out of all
men is desired to ascertain who are
| best fitted for particular lines OF
work. The personnel of the company
is a splendid representation of Au-
gusta's active young men. All are de-
! termined to produce a first class out
| fit Nearly half of them have seen
previous service; some in former Ma
tional Guard units, and many in the
world war with the Yankee Division,
the Marine Corps. and other branches
of the army. The balance, although
rockies" are able bodied, hard work.
ers. and will soon take their place
with the "vets."
The organization of the company at
| this time marks something more than
| the revival of local military affairs
1t comes at the time of the reorgan-
ization of the National Guard. on a
modern basis, brought about by the
lessons of the war, and in conformf-
ty with the new military plans of our
country. With the limiting the
strength of the regular army, the
war department is building up and
charging the National Guard, and in
creasing its relative Importance as a
| fighting unit. The war found the
National Guard a first class line of
defense; ready when the call came.
To increase it's efficiency, many
| changes are being made. For the first
time the National Guard has an equal
number Of representatives on the
general staff with an equal voice in
the war plans of the nation. The
training of regular and national
guard troops is being co-ordinated by
work together in regular army can
comments. In New England two COM
plete divisions Of National Guard
have been organized. The 3rd Infan-
try of Maine is the one line regiment
that is a part of one of these divi-
sions, and it is being built UP as an
effective fighting machine.
Augustus company, though small,
is steadily growing. Ex-service men
and recruits alike are drifting In,
each man with a serious purpose.
The spirit Is excellent. Much interest
is apparent at the drills, eagerness be-
| ing shown to take up the specialties
that the diversified training now Of
In r ~ CO.