Evening star., 1922-06-12
D. c. GUARD BREAKS
CAMP AT S|MMS
Health a Feature of Sncamp-
ment of Local Men-In-
StruCtion Well Received.

One hundred and forty-two officers.
selected on-commissioned officers
and privates of the l21st Engineers,
District of Columbia National Guard.
broke camp at Camp Simms. Congress
Heights, yesterday morning at $3.50
after one week of active military
service. According to Gen. stephan,
officers of the general staff who visit
ed camp. and the camp commander.
the duty performed was well done
and the instruction given by senior
officers of the National Guard and
three instructors from the Regular
Army was received with manifest in
terest by the national suarusm,In.
instruction at the firing points and
rifle practice was given under the
immediate supervision of coaching
instructors. nine of whom Were nat
liOnal guardsmen holding c'rtiticates
from the Camp Perry Firing School.
and two serseants of the Regular
Army. This work was done under the
supervision of Capt. Henry II. Leizear,
District of Columbia National Guard
Tactical Work.
Tactical instruction was given un-
der the supervision of the camp COM
mander. Lieut.. Col La Garde, and by
the Regular Army officers on duty
at the camp, and consisted of about
two hours work each day. Gen.
Stephan. Col La Garde and Capt.
Pohl were especially pleased with
the work of Company ID. commanded
by Capt Julian :. Oliff. which was
only recently organized. saturday
morning a battalion attack upon a po-
sitioh occupied by an outlined force,
armed with automatics and rifles,
took place. and the touch of realistic
warfare with the firing of blanks,
scouts, skirmisih lines. advancement
by ruShes and use of cover made
thrills run up the spine of recruits.
The engineering instruction was
given by capt. Herman II. Pohl, En-
gineer Corps L. ;. A., assisted by
Capts. Scarry and Underwood. who
were detailed from Camp Humphreys
for this duty. The National Guards
men are proud of their accomplish
ments in engineering, of which there
was approximately two hours in
struction each day. \ spar or tres
tie bridge was constructed by them
from timberS cut on the range.
Barbed wire eutanglements were con-
structed. and these, together with an
abutment twenty feet high and thirty
feet long. were demolished with high
explosives planted and exploded by
detonation by the guardsmen them
selves. under the direction of capt.
Pohl.
Good Health n featuTe.
The health of the camp was eX-
cellcnt. and though Thursday and
Friday were warm days, there were
no prostrations from heat. During
the entire period of encampment
there was but one Illness. Private
William J. Lyon of Company Z
showed symptoms of acute appendi-
citis Thursday evening, ana on rec
ommendation of Maj. Allen, camp sur
Eeon. the soldier was sent to Walter
Reed Hospital in the National Guard
ambulance where he was operated
on that night He is reported doing
we'll
Just prior TO leaving camp Maj.
James X Lusby placed the pay table
tion building and the companies were
marched up in succession and men
paid for their weeks service, and
even after paying the post exchange
officer for tire ice cream, cigarettes
and other cauteen commodities pur-
chased by them, IL tidy little sum
jingled in the pockets of all as they
marched for home.
The Regular Army men at camp
remarked on the pale skins of the
men when they reached camp, but
after the week outdoors. the physical
activities. swimming, ball games and
range work, the outfit looked like
regulars with their good coats of
tan and vigorous. snappy step g they
marched out of camp with the band
playing yesterday morning. Gen.
Stephan has issued orders for the
transfer of men from present organi-
cations to Company f. as recruiting
is progressing actively, and 1t is
nrobabIe that limitation will have
to be put on enliStments before July
9. the date of the next camp. which
will be for a period of two weeks.