Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1931-10-15

soon aICeT the LOUISVILLE COnVen-
ton in 1929, the Samuel C. Hart Post
of Rowan county, Salisbury, conceiv-
ed the idea that something a little
different from a band or drum corps
would lend a colorful touch to pa
rades and other public occasions and
at the same time teach a lesson in in
ternational fellowship and create a live
and impressive memorial to the men
from Rowan county and to all Amer
lean and allied soldiers who lost their
lives on the battlefields of France, Bel
GUM, Russia, Italy, the Balkans, to
those who died in hospitals of disease,
gas or wounds, and also to those who
have died since the war.
The Post attempted first t obtain
from our former Allies their national
flags, but only one nation answered
this call by the presentation of its ma
tional banner. Undaunted by This set
back the post decided to acquire the
flags and other equipment as memoir
ais by individual contributions. Desir-
ing the uniforms to be reminiscent of
the uniforms of the allies, a commit
tee from the post designed, with the
cooperation of a uniform manufac-
turing company, the outfit now used
by the escort.
1t very closely resembles the dress
uniform of the first regiment, French
Foreign Legion, stationed at Sidi-bel-
Abbes, Algiers. The blouse is Of a
slightly different cut, fashioned more
after the old Russian Imperial tunic,
but of a different color, the belt a
duplicate of the West Point dress telt,
the pants a pattern of the French
Foreign Legion, the leggins from the
United States Marine corps, and the
cap that of a non-commissioned Off
Ger of the French Blue Devils.
A number of flags and other parts
of equipment were given as specific
memorials; for instance, six bugles and
four snare drums (tambour type) were
the first donation to the post and es-
cort. These were donated by Meade S.
Hart of Mooresville in m of his
brother, Samuel-C C. Hart, private, first
class, Thirtieth division, who was kill
ed in the Hindenburg line offensive,
and who was cited posthumously for
exceptional bravery, G. O. No. 49,,
War department, 1919, and his father
awarded the Distinguished Service
Gross. A beautiful Italian flag was do
mated to the escort by the Italian en-
bassy, Washington, D. c., in memory
of the sons of Italy who gave their
lives in the various Allied and Ameri-
can armies.
An American flag was donated by
the Sons and Daughters of Liberty.
The North Carolina flag was donated
by Kent W. Cooley, member of the es-
cort and disabled overseas veteran, ].
w. Swink and family of China Grove,
donated an American f!ag in memory
of their son, William !. Swink, Jr,,
who served in C. A. during the war,
and who died in Asheville of tuber-
cular infection as result of his service.
The family of w. G. Bradshaw donat-
ed another American flag in memory
of a son, w. C. Bradshaw, who died
in service in France. Another flag was
donated by Bryce P. Beard in memory
of Marvin Trexler, private, Company
d, Seventh infantry, Third division,
who was killed in action and cited
under G. o. No. p, July /, 1913,
for extraordinary bravery.
The outfit is composed Of A regu-
lar members and six substitutes. Each
one has an honorable discharge from
the army, navy or marine corps, show
ing service during the World war. At
least IS per cent of the personnel of
the outfit served overseas, practically
all of whom saw action under fire.
OCNCld l VI llIC lllCll SdW duulIlO11dl oSl-
vice in other wars, expeditions, etc.
]. S. Stricken, another member of
the escort, was in the navy for a num-
Der of years and took part in the ex-
petition against Vera Cruze. 1t. Col.
Max L. Barker, former commander of
the escort, was in the Spanish-Ameri-
can war and served as a major in the
A. E. F., S1st division. Though they
use the Foreign Legion uniform, they
have no men in the outfit who were
born in a foreign country.
The escort uses nine U. S. flags,
one North Carolina flag, and a flag
of each of the following countries:
France, Great ritain, Belgium, Italy,
Japan, Rumania, Serbia, uba, Brazil,
Montenegro, Czechoslovdkia, Portu-
gal, China, Greece, and Canada.
1t is thought that this is the only
outfit of its kind in the world.
This escort has anpeared before more