Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-01
DOTy |SAWARDED
CRO|X De CUERRE
Medal for Bravery in Battle
Comes as Surprise to
American Youth.
By BENNETT J. DOTY.

BY BENNETT J. DOTV.
Written exclusively for The Star and North
American Newspaper Alliance
We went hack too Damascus with
bright hopes for Christmas. We were
paid off and all of us started out Tor
a celehra ton. Then, two days before
the holiday, we Sot orders 10 occupy
farm. Ell Chaha. II miles from the
cit. and establish a post there.
We fought our way out. and under
guard we stretched harhed wire and
built machine-Sun emplacementS'
walls and quarters for the company.
The day before Christmas the rest oil
the column returned to Damascus.
having us 10 hold the post.
Christmas day was the same as any
other to the 10Th Company OF the
March. ] spent it carrying bricks
and stretching harhed wire. The only
concession 10 the day was that the
food was little better. We had
fried steak for the first time in six
months.
Like Island at Sea. :
We spent two months in this post.
II was like being on an island ut sea.
Twice a month a convoy would battle
its way ont with provisions. Mail
was delivered to MS by airplane. Life
was one day after another OF guard
duty and work.
One day in February a plane
dropped special mail bag, and
prise d'armes'' was ordered for the
following day. We put in some hard
hours washin. shirts. sewing on but
tons. mending rips and generally try
inS 10 make ourselves as soldieriN as
possible. Most OF us were in terrible
state Our uniforms had been ripped
hv harhed wire and stained with dust.
The next dav at $50 O'Clock the
COMPANY was lined up in the court.
The captain. in his most gorgeous uni
form. was fanked by his lieutenant.
The adlutant chief brought up the
rear. His orderly held in his hands a
small tray bearing little boxes.
The captain then read out the
names Of TWO lieutenants, the adjutant
chief. the adjutant. TWO sergeants and
myself | had no idea what was going
10 happen. AS the mems names were
called they stepped up three PAGES in
frcnt of the captain and saluted.
Is Given Medal.
The company presented arms and
the captain pinned on each mans
breast the Croix de Guerre T. Q. f,
the special Croix de Guerre given out
side OF France After he had pinned
this decoration on each man, the cap
tain gave him a certificate and shook
hands with him. Then. stepping back
@ pace. he saluted and moved on to
the next man. The company mean.
while stood at present. The ceremony
completed. the captain stepped back.
called order arms, put the company
through the manual of arms and dis
missed them.
Ii was what did in the fighting /
described in my preceding article that
won the cross for me. Believe me.
was surprised. 1t knocked me for
loop.
1t was nearing the end of February
when one afternoon a French plane
few over us. scoring a direct hit on
the court with a steel case containing
Communications from headquarters.
Shortly afterward my corporal broke
in on US with the news that we were
TO move next day.
All work was suspended and we
spent the rest of the afternoon getting
our kits in order. We ate all the
available food and got a good night
sleep. The next dag We GOULD tell by
the outbreak of firing in the direction
OF Damascus that column was on
the way 10 relieve US.
Fight All the Way.
Ordinarily IL took the column four
hours and a half to reach US. This
tine IL took them ten. The woods
and orchards were full OF Druse. who
fought them every inch of the way.
BY the time they had reached US,
the colonel had been shot through the
chest. He demanded that only mem
bers 81 the Legion carry his stretcher.
he said he knew they would take the
best care Of him.
We discovered we had been or
dered tn Leba non. To AVOID unnec-
essary fighting. we took a rounda-
bout way 10 Dana SOUS, arriving there
about 5 O'Clock the day alter We
were loaded aboard trucks and
casnions. and proceeded II Halwee, -
kilomefers on the road from Damas.
Gus TO Beirut
We occupied a post which we were
told had been put there by the British
during the World War. II was in the
mountains In the shadow OF Mount
HermoD. The only excitement We had
there was the destruction OF a Druse
village on q neighboring crest. Our
JOB was TO protect the highway from
Damascus 10 Beirut. The inhabIta nts
Of the village were accustomed TO rob
travellers.
One day our captain told us there
Prom our position Of vantage we
watched d IS and a 100 destroy the
village.
Druse I'm New Revolt.
To yard the last Of March Cen
Andrea. coming through from Beirut
announced that he had asked for lie
80 head fresh attack upon SUeids
Mile We had been occupied In other
directions The Jebel Druse had re-
turned. rebuilt the citadel. cut the rail.
ROAD Zine. piiaged the Christ ian VII
Lges and were again in open revolt
Eack We went 10 DsmaScus. this
time bY railroad. The morning after
We were enirsined for Kabab. We re-.
manned there few days guarding the
railroad, then joined the column a.;
Ezra.
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