New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-01-24
AUF WIEDERSEHEN, SAY
DEPARTING AMERICANS
Simple Ceremonies Mark
Farewell of Yankee
Troops in Germany

EhFfnhFfltsiein, Jan, ~ lily Ahsos
eiaied Pressl,- The American troops
were Withdrawn from the Rhine to-
day ending American military par
ticipation In the occupation area.
The withdrawal was signaliled by
the hauling down at noon Of the stars
and stripes from the castle Of Ehren-
hreitsiein. which has been The Amer
lean military headquarters since the
beginning OF the occupation. Mean
while the first trains with members OF
the eSpeditionary force were leaving
coblenz 10 board the transport st.
Mihiel which will take them back to
The United States.
The flag came floating gently down
from the staff on the picturesque
castle walls overlooking the Rhine as
the signal was given for breaking
camp" Not shot was fired In salute
for II was not martial occasion.
There were many moist eyes among
.the Americans who watched the spec
tacle and their long time associates
among the allied forces In the region.
The British and Belgian high COM
missioners for the Rhineand kept
their word and remained away be-
cause they could not bear to witness
the lowering of the flag that meant
the breaking OF so many close ties.
Inside the fort at the same time
there was taken from the white
washed walls the portrait of Wash
ington, the Americans had hung there
on their coming.
II was a day Of simple ceremony. |
Four sergeants, picked from among
the veterans of the Seventh machine /
gun battalion, Third division, who |
fought at the last battle of the Marne |
were accorded the honor of assisting
Major Gen. Henry r. Allen in lower
ing the colors. These non-commis- I
stoned officers were Sergeant Dewey /
Kitner. Lester kelbaugh Charles
Long and Frank Ehley. Together
with their comrades of Companies d I
and NJ the veteran sergeants waited
with full pack astride the halyards
for the moment when the flag should |
fiutter down the sIaff over ancient I
and the tri-color OF
France take its place. For the latter
French soldiers numbering 100 men
and French band, were present.
The women and children of the
American contingent on the Rhine
started for Antwerp today as the ad-
tance guard of the departing forces, ,
| group of 65 wives and children of
lrmy officers, escorted by Captain w.
!. Purdy, entrained this morning
hey were officially designated as an I
irregular contingent
Seventy-siX wives and 20 children /
f commissioned officers and pri- ]
ates, forming the second Irregular !
ontingent," were prepared to leave
uring the afternoon the arrange {
nents thus providing that all the Q
antilles be on their way before the v
roops themselves started on their last
larch out of Coblenz. +
Coblenz Jan. "a (By Associated e
'ress) Major Gen. Henry r. Allen
aceived last evening a brief letter /,
rom Chancellor Cuno conveying the n
of the German govern $,
lent on the occasion of the departure
the American forces in Germany
nd asserting that their conduct had II
cen exemplary. In reply to a letter h
'om Gen. Legouette, Major Gen. ci
lien said that he would formally h
i'm the American zone over to the
rench on January 81 or any day fo
lereafte~. h,
1T is, with deep regret" he wrote. re
hat must bring to an end the de-
yhtful official relations which have h;
ways existed harmoniously between h,
J and terminate the services the
mefican troops commenced in the G.
ar. and continued on the Rhine ia
Lord Kilmarnock. the British it,
hineland commander and Baron
cqueny, the Belgian representative ce
led personally upon Major Gen. ne
len and begged to be excused from fe
tending the ceremony at Ehren- 10,
eitstein. They said they were too in
ddened over the American depar-
re TO be present at the lowering of
e colors but that they would be at
e railroad station when the troops -,
parted. ~