Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1931-04-30

The following morning the troops de-
barked and boarded waiting trains and
ate in the evening of December "a,
arrived at the military camp near Win
chester, England. The next day being
Christmas day, many of the troops
took advantage of the sightseeing at
fractions in the historic, ancient seat
of British government and western
eyes found much to marvel over, but
it may be safely said that their eyes,
that day would have rested with more
contentment on the mountain girded
vistas of peaceful Montana.
Early in the morning of December
goth the first contingent Of the 163rd,
a battalion under the command OF
Major Joseph Hodgson, a Washington,
D. c., officer, entrained for Southamp-
ton where late that evening the troops
boarded a transport which brought
them to LIE Havre the following morn
ing. There they were ~quartered for
the next two days in a British rest
camp" awaiting the arrival of the
next unit of the regiment.
The next move Of the regiment was
to La Courtine, a French artillery
camp, where eventually most of the
division was modified. Immediately
after the arrival in La Courtine, a
number of officers and selected enlisted
men of the regiment were ordered to
Gondrecourt, the 1st Division training
area, where the First Corps school was
being organized to give instruction in
the current methods of warfare.
Very soon, the 163rd Infantry as
we'll as the other units of the division
we're to discover that their lot in the
war was destined to be one Of the
hardest and most disheartening of all.
Practically all of the privates of the
organizations were transferred to other
divisions to fill their depleted ranks.
The officers and nOn-commisSioned Of
ficers were retained as skeleton or
CARNATIONS for the purpose of training
requirements. The 41st division be-
came the 1st Depot division with head
quarters at st. Afghan, France.
Some idea of the tremendous task
carried out by the 163rd Infantry and
the other units Of the division may be
gained by the realization that records
show that in n month in 1918, the
163rd Infantry received, trained and
equipped and transported to divisions
then in the line, nearly 5000 men.
For officers and men alike it was a
Misunderstanding and grueling job. The
few days of respite gained by officers
and men detailed to take requirements
into the front line divisions, were
eagerly sought by all. Going up into
the trenches under fire with replace
ments, became regarded as a vacation
by the worn members of the training
organizations.
From time to time as suitable off,
cers and non-commissioned officers be-
came available, old time members of
the 163rd Infantry were released for
duty with divisions at the front. Some
of them never returned; some of them
achieved great honors and distinction,
all of them rendered service which
has brought honor to Montana and
recognition of it's manhood to every
orner of the United States.
Inc regiment TeIulileu W Vic Oiiioeu
States in January, 1919, along with
other units of the 41st division. The
acknowledgment of exceptional serv-
ice performed with the highest degree
of efficiency vas given to it by the
officers of the A. E. F.. headquarters.
.Entwined i~ndissolubly with the rec
ords of achievement of the LIST, the End,
the Goth, the And. the Sind, and other
divisions whose histories loom large on
the pages of memory Of the World
war, are the records of the men of the
163rd Infantry. 1t has transmitted a
heritage of a record Of unselfish, pa
triotic service, which is an inspiration
to the youth of Montana, and a glori-
u credit to the state.