OCR Text |
Show MEN FROM EVERY STATE LANDED III THEIR IE WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN FRANCE. Thursday, No 29 (By the Associated Press ) National guardsmen guards-men from even state in the union have arrived in France, it Is today permitted per-mitted to be announced. They are amonc the troops now training, or latel arrived While if Is not permitted to disclose the identity of units, it may be said' that all those which sailed from the! United States have arrived safely andj that some already are in training, within sound of the guns on the battle fronts. They are showing a spirit in keeping keep-ing with the purpose of all concerned to make the American expeditionary force a homogeneous American army a which each diviston. whether regtf lar, national guard or national array cannot be distinguished in efficiency from the others. The former state troops are billetpd over a wide area and are pronounced excellent soldiers. The guardsmen have been arriving in the war zone for many week?. They are scattered somewhat, but as far as possible the units from the same state have been kept close together except in one case. They found the regular army had made good preparations for them and while many are billeted in houses in French towns, others have been quar tered in low wooden barracks specially spe-cially erected Troops Enthusiastically Welcomed- The troops from the various states have been recognized b the French population and have been welcomed enthusiastically. Many of the units on arriving in billet towms wore the French red, while and blue cockade pinned to their campaign hats. These .. re given to Ihe soldiers when they landed at base ports. After a sufficient time to rest from the Journey, whic in some cases has been extremely tiresome, the troops have been set to work training for actual service at the front, in all quarters quar-ters they are declared to be most enthusiastic, en-thusiastic, and their soldierly quali-tie quali-tie 9 have drawn high praise from the I French instructors. Guards Within Sound of Guns. I During the last few days one unit has been working with grenades and automatic rifles, while another has h. en working out military problems In maneuvres Another units has been in the instruction trenches, which bring them as near as possible to actual fighting conditions Many of the former guardsmen in training have heard guns roaring in the distance. They are all being given the same course of instruction as the first contingents con-tingents of regulars have undergone. ' The guardsmen are all in good health. The reason why it is not per- mitted to mention units by name is that if one is mentioned the way is open to mention all others, which j means the revealing of identification numbers and other information which is of importance to the enenn 1 Bui for the information of the rela- j lives and families of the men, every- jj i ( Continued on Page 4 ) J 00 National Guard From Every State in the j . Union Now in France' i (Continued from page 1.) I one who sailed from the United States has arrived safely in France. Not a Man Lost. WASHINGTON. Nov. 30. Announcement An-nouncement of the arrival in Franco of the frist national guard units gives the first official notice that an extensive exten-sive troop movement has been accomplished accom-plished despite hostile submarines, shortage of troop and supply ships and other obstacles, but without the loss of a man. Thousands of men have been moved to the seaboard from all parts of the country, loaded on transports and safely landed in France without any general knowledge of the facts having been disclosed to the country at large. Gen. Pershing's. Announcement. War department officials were gratified grat-ified at General Pershing's decision to announce the arrival of the national guard forces, but permission to publish the designations of the guard units now at tho training centers' In France still is withheld. Unless General Pershing sees fit to release the information, infor-mation, there is no present prospect of its publication. It can be stated, however, that the brief dispatch of today covers a Targe movement that has been in progress for several weeks. The next stage will m - r i r-j Htt n ' I I yfcM be actual occupation of front lino trenches. Guard units to be sent later will be moro sectional in character, the grouping group-ing of tbo old divisional organization having been adhered to as closely as possible. The entiro country, however, how-ever, shares in tho honor of having its representative units now at the front in tho world war. More Troops to Follow. Secretary Baker has announced that as fast as men and ships are ready thoy will bo combined and additional forces sent to Join. General Pershing. But this meanB that the divisions first to show themselves fitted to the train Ing, camps in Franco, will bo first to go. It appears that tho regrouping , of national array divisions, made necessary neces-sary by the use of drafted men to fill up depleted national guard divisions, will determine the order of the first national army units to be sent over. In that group two national army divisions divi-sions were formed, ono representing the whole eastern section of the country coun-try and ono equally representative cf all middle states. All of the far west' is already in the national army division divi-sion at Camp Lewis, American Lake. Wash. If the same position Is followed with " "ngguiiu relation to the national army in cnn nection with the national LlvA u seems likely that these three dK other things, such as training lon!f equipment, being equal worth d first of tho nationally to dg0 "v as every state in tho union wonM JL T' have national army men aTthTf ? !ai it now has national guardamJn 1 88 |