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Nine Officers and Men Awarded Decorations That Will Be Presented at Review BY HERBERT L. BALDWIN Post Staff Correspondent CAMP DEVENS, April 12.—Devas tated Belgium has honored the fight ing 26th. Decorations for nine offi cers and men of the “YD” from the little kingdom across the sea were re ceived here today and will be present ed by Major-General Harry C. Hale at the divisional review on April 22. The Belgian decorations are not for any single deed of valor. Proud of the 26th and its record in France, the Belgian government, notified — the American army officials that they de sired to show their appreciation by decorating some members of the di vision. MEN SELECTED The Yankee chiefs were requested to select them, and the selection, made from officials and ranks, was of men of the division who had been especially heroic all through months of fighting. The awards are as follows: Belgian Cross Chevalier de l’'Ordre de la Couromme (the highest award of the country), to Lieutenant-Colonel Frank S. Perkins, 101st Field Artillery, 34 Pleas ant street, Salem; Lieutenant Gale Scott. E Battery, 101st Field Artillery, Lamkin, Texas. The Belgian Chevalier de l'Ordre Leo pold NI., to Sergeant Arthur Cartier, C. Company, 102d Infantry (now lieutenant Cartier of M Company, 102d Infantry), New Haven, Conn.; Sergeant William I. Allingham, E Company, 104th In fantry, Cambridge. The Belgian Croix de Guerre to Pri vate Malcolm A. Macauley, A Company, Mth Infantry, 43 Pearl street, Spring field; Private Martin J. Meehan, C Com pany, 102d Infantry, 102 Liberty street, New Haven, Conn.; Private William H. Mullen, E. Battery, 101st Field Artillery, 14 Hampshire street, Danvers; Private Ray Moore, A Company, 102d Infantry, Waterbury, Conn.; Corporal Webster Blanchard, E Battery, 101st Field Ar tillery, 485 Elliot street, Beverly. Reasons for Honors The reason why these men were awarded the decorations of honor is perhaps best explained by excerpts from a citation awarded Private Mee han by the %th Division on May 13, 1918. Meehan also wears the Croix de Guerre. The citation reads: “These units, officers and men, held their ground. Sogme died in their tracks, but none feil *k. The boys engaged in repelling this attack and throughout the battles proved themselves a stout hearted lot of lads, true to their tradi tions.” Parades of the members of the 26th in Lawrence, Worcester, Manchester, N. H., Lowell and Brookline were in the air tonight. Interpretation has been asked from the War Department re garding a telegram which was received here this morning. It read, in sub stance: *‘The Secretary of War directs that no parades of any units of the 26th Division will be permitted prior to de mobilization except the divisional pa rade in Boston. This is for your infor mation and guidance.”’ May Stop Parades Officers here were hopeful that the or der of the War Department officials did not forbid the parades in home towns planned for next week. Major-General Bale, anxious to do everything possible for the men, had suggested to command ing officers of the various regiments that where a city or town desired a parade of its men that all the men in their outfits, so far as was possible, be given furlough on the same day. ‘The new ruling, it is hoped, will not prevent this but it was pointed out that if the interpretation from Washington so speci fes, no units nor any ports of units may parade in any city before their dis charge, and the men would be liable to punishment if they violated the orders. At any rate any home-town parade next week will of necessity see the men without equipment or rifles. The only part of their outfits which they will be allowed to take from camp, except for the Boston parade, will be their steel helmets. Fifty per cent of the division was out of camp on pass tonight. This by orders of General Hale. In addition to the 25 per cent who are absent on a three-day furlough, General Hale issued orders that an additional 25 per cent might be given passes from noon today until § o'clock Monday morning. And such a scampering for home as there was. Special trains were rushed to the camp to take care of the traffic and they all pulled out early in the afternoon loaded to capacity. Furlough Tickets Scarce Scores of men of the division have had to pay full fare on the trains while going home for furlough owing to a scarcity of furlough certificates. Gen eral Hale immediately on learning of this sent the following telegram to the adjutant-general at Washington: ‘“Re quest you ship me by express 50,000 furlough fare certificates. Supply not obtainable in New England, lack of which is resulting in big financial loss to soldiers who are being granted their furloughs to visit their homes for the first time in 20 months. Please wire me when I may expect supply as demand is urgent.” The State of Rhode Island looked out for all its soldiers in fine fashion today, when a special train pulled up at the camp siding and it was announced Fare free to Providence for every Rhode Island man.’ ‘Pass’’ was the one topic of conversation throughout the camp today, and those left behind were flooding telephone and telegraph lines with admonitions to “Come up Sunday” to friends and relatives. Furloughs are to be granted to men of the Jewish faith for the Passover from the morning of April 14 to reveille April 17, provided the men can be spared from their duties, it was an nounced this morning by Major-General McCain, camp commander, and the Same orders will apply to the 26th Division. How Division Is Moved Something of what the moving of the division to Boston is going to mean was disclosed this afternoon when Lieuten ant-Colonel Albert L. Greenlaw, assist ant chief of staff of the division, and Major Oscar G. Lagerquist, division quartermaster, returned from Boston, where they have been working with the Northeastern Department officials. Nine teen trains will leave this camp in mov ing the division, nine on the morning of April 24 and 10 on April 25. Detrain ing points will be at the North Station and at the Huntington avenue station. The entire 101st Engineers Regiment is to be transported to Boston by auto mobile. They are to leave here on the afternoon of April 24. They are to be entertained on the evening of that day by the First Corps Cadets Veterans’ Association at a banquet in Mechanics’ Hall. The line of march from the de training points to billets and from bil lets to the parade forming point will be announced Monday morning at 9:20 at the headquarters of the Northeastern Department. The returning officers said that it was officially estimated that it will take about two and a half hours for the parade to pass a given point. How the officers of the 26th are going to insist that the men who fought with them are taken care of when they are sent back to civilian life and how many officers are going to help find jobs for the men was shown in a telegram posted outside division headquarters this morning. From Lieutenant Leavitt C. Parsons, a former instructor at Bos ton University and now at the Army War College, Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Stevens of Lowell, adjutant of the divi sion, received this message: “Greetings, and congratulations. Sorry I couldn't see the boys land. If you know any bright, peppery YC hustlers that want a job and think they can make good selling securities, send them to Frank Tupper Marshall Company, 7 State street, Boston, with a copy of this. Hope to march with you.” Lieu tenant Parsons was formerly with the quartermasters’ department of the 26th. Lonesome men of the YD who are still in France today sent word that they want to hear from their former buddies. Lieutenant Charles C. Stuart sent to Colonel Pitts, commanding officer of the 102d Infantry, a let ter telling that about 50 men of the di vision transferred to the military po lice corps, all 102d Infantry men, are now doing guard duty at Strasburg in Alsace. We want to hear from our buddies, and we wish we were going to be in the parade,’’ was the message, and among those who signed it were: Sergeant Henry McAleer of Winsted, Conn.; Corporal Francis Harris of Meriden, Conn., and Privates George Skillen, Charles Cropper, Robert Guinn, Anthony Digestin and John Driscoll. The 1034 Infantry will hold its fare well religious service tomorrow morning in the Y. W. C. A., at 10 o’clock. Chap lains Raymond Anderson and Michael Nivard will conduct services. Colonel Frank Hume is to be present, and will address the new. Many of them will go out from camp with discharge papers tomorrow to their homes outside New England. The field artillery brigade is claiming the best no A. W. O. I. record in camp. But three men have been reported absent without permission in the 51st Artillery Brigade since the return of the organ ization. from France, it was announced
Newspaper Details
Boston Sunday Post
Boston, Massachusetts, US
Sun, Apr 13, 1919
Page 13
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