The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1923-02-01
u. S. WATCH ON
The RHINE ENDS
TriCoIor Now Floats Over Castle
Ehrenbreitstein-French Play
-Spangled Banner"
WATCH ON THE RHINE ENDS
American Troops Start Immediately
for Antwerp-FamilIes Are Sent
Ahead.-Washingto Picture
Taken Home.

Ehrenbreitstein. The last of the
American forces, which have been
keeping watch on the Rhine since
the signing of the armistice ending
the world war, are homeward Sound.
The Stars and Stripes were lowered
from the famous fortress of Ehren-
breitstein at noon, and then the
troops boarded trains bound for Ant
werp, where they embarked on the
transport ST Mihiel.
The Eighth lnfantr. Regiment,
which formed the principal American
contingent, entrained at Coblenz in
two sections at o'clock. The men
were saluted by all the high allied Of
Acials The One Hundred and Fifty
sixth French Infantry furnished the
enard of honor, and it's band played
the American and French national an
thems as the trains pulled out. The
populace the city OF Coblenz. es-
pecially the women and girls, were at
the station to say farewell to depart
ing friends. There was much weep
ing among the women folk and mu-
tual promises between them and the
homeward bound soldiers to meet
again.
Not alone were crowds present at
the station, but the railway tracks be-
vond for mile wa lined with frien
waving handkerchiefs and shouting
farewells. Some of the townspeople
went to distant suburbs to pay their
last respects, while others took the
ordinary trains to Antwerp to renew
their farewells
The ceremony of lowering the flag
over the fortress took place on top Of
Crosse Traverse" where the Ameri-
cans and French troops had formed,
facing the flagstaff, which reared it.
self hundred feet above the ram
parts.
The band struck up the Star Span
gled Banner" as four sergeants, vet
Grams of the Seventh Machine Gun
Battalion of the Third Division. pull
ed the halyards and slowly lowered
the flag and folde it with great dig
HlL( anu l1lcA OA " TIC hSaN
of their comrades.
There was brief pause, and then
French soldiers broke out the tri-color
from the flagstaff. the bunting fiutter-
ing gently in the breeze. Every one
had stood bareheaded during the sim
pie but impressive ceremony, wheth-
err bestarred general or simple SOL
i1xr y, 40 NJ h
and stone tops of the barracks to
view the ceremony strove vainly to
hide their emotion.
After retreat had been sounded
for the American troops Major Cen
eral Allen and Colonel William w
Harris, his chief of staff. and the
French Generals Marty. Mardacq,
Danselme, 0ametz and Henrys. all old
comrades in arms of the Americans
at st. Mihiel and elsewhere, inspected
the troops.
The four American sergeants who
lowered their flag from Ehrenbreit-
stein were Dewey Kitner. Lester KEEL
baugh, Charles Long and Frank
Ehiey.
1UP WdS SlSAdilLCu ny
the hauling down at noon of the Stars
and Stripes from the castle OF Ehren-
breitstein, which has been the Anne j.
can military headquarters since the
beginning of the occupation.
The flag came floating gently down
from the staff on the picturesque cas-
tie walls overlooking the Rhin, as the
signal was given for striking the col
ors Not a shot was fired ii salute,
for it was not martial occasion.
There we're many moist eyes among
the Americans who watched the spec
tacle and their long time associates
among the allied forces in the spring.
Seventy soldiers married their Ger
man sweethearts during the hour be-
fore the army of occupation pulled
out of Coblenz.
Many of the pretty frauIeins ap-
parently could not make up their
minds until train time
DR.. GRANT SENDS REPLY