Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-04-24

AScAShL was one expressive word
whicn Captain Howard FrizzelL U. s.
amy AZ used to describe his impression
OF company F, 103rd Infantry, Maine
National Guard. after the annual fed
eral inspection OF the unit. held
wednesday evening at City hall.
The company has improved in ey-
cry department over last year, and this
- due in large measure to the inter-
est and untiring effort Of the officers. !"
continued the inspecting officer In an
INFORMAL statement. 1.-The local COM
pany has a splendid personnel and it's
omcers and men are to be compliment
co on the appearance Of the company.
In my opinion" said the inspecting
officer, Company F has shown ad-
vancement in knowledge of military
procedure and conduct, over that Of
last year. which will compare more
than favorably with that of any other
company in the regiment which I have
inspected"
To the non-military man or outsider
observing the federal inspection
wednesday evening 1t was q reyela-
ton in the thoroughness Of the train
Ing which the National Guard units
are subjected to since the days of par
ticipation in the World War. There are
several new quirks in the instruction
which are more or less startling and in
spring to those who observe it for the
hrst time, including particularly the
bayonet exercise and the extended or
der drill.
The annual federal inspection Of men
and equipment occurred Wednesday
evening in the auditorium of City hall,
and besides the United States officers
conducting 1t was witnessed by a num-
Der of interested citizens as we'll as
several guests active In the military of
the State Of Maine.
Wednesday afternoon Captain Friz-
zell, who is the infantry instructor of
the Maine National Guard, conducted
the inspection OF the paper work and
records Of the local rife company, as
sisted by Sergeant-Instructor Roy Os-
born. Captain Frank b. Sprague, with
Corporal John Paul Jones. the COM
rany clerk. and Sergeant-Cook Herbert
Leonard, acting supply sergeant, were
on duty at the armory to assist in the
many details Of the federal inspection
Captain Frizzell found the paper
work of Captain Sprague's command
to be in excellent order, and inform
ally complimented the officers on
several phases Of this department of
their activities.
At 8 o'clock in the evening the
most interesting feature of the fed
eral inspection was carried out in
the auditorium, when SO out Of the
total enrolment of SO men were on
hand for the exhaustive inspection
by the regular army officers. From
company inspection through to group
inspections of the several submits,
Company F acquitted itself in a
most praiseworthy manner, and the
expression OF the several officers of
the Maine national guard. who were
present in an unofficial capacity,
was that the Augusta boys showed
Improvement in every department,
over their appearance last year at
Camp Devens, which won them ia
vorable recognition as one of the best
drilled and set up companies Of the
regiment.
Among those present at the in
spection last evening were Major
irving Thomas of Waterville. of the
2nd battalion, Captain Claude M.
Adams, u. S. A., senior instructor.
Maine national guard: Lieutenant
Samuel Titcomb of this city, intelli-
gence officer of the 103rd Infantry;
Major Donald c. Metcalf, executive
officer of the seth infantry brigade,
and Captain Raymond w. Swift of
Waterville, who was largely instru-
mental In organizing the present
company and who raised the unit to
an especially high plane of efficiency.
Captain Swift. who resigned from
the command of Company F. just
previous to the annual tour of duty
at Camp Devens last summer be-
cause of his removal from the city,
addressed the men at the conclusion
OF the inspection, telling them that
ne believed that they were vastly
superior to the company which he
LETT. and congratulating them on
their splendid general appearance at
the inspection. Captain Swift told
the boys confidentially that he had
not lost his interest in national
guard activities-on the contrary he
was minded to enlist in the ranks,
and as number two in the rear rank.
participate again in the activities of
the militia organization.
The inspection by Captain Frizzell
was most exhaustive and included
an examination of the men in all the
many phases Of their activities, as
the bulwark OF the first line of de-
Tense in case Of war. The first on
the order last evening was the ina
spection OF the men and their equipl
ment as they lined UP in company
formation. Captain Frizzell found
the enlisted men Of Company f to
be well drilled in the school Of the
soldier and in the school of the COM
pany and in every departn,ent they