Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 70, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 November 1918 — MAY BE HOME BY CHRISTMAS [ARTICLE]

MAY BE HOME BY CHRISTMAS

Twenty-Seventh and Thirtieth Divisions To Be Sent Home.

American Army Headquarters in France, Nov. 26. —The twenty-sev-enth division, totaling 484 officers and 12,681 men, and the thirtieth division, totaling 488 officers and 12,099 men, both of which operated on the British front, have been withdrawn from the Le Mans area and probably will embark in a few days. Movement Checked. Washington, Nov. 26. —No active division of the American expeditionary forces can be landed in the United States before Christmas, Secretary Baker said today. The policy of returning first the thousands of casuals and the auxiliary troops from England will postpone the movement of first line troops who .have been designated for release by General Pershing.

Reduced Divisions Washington, Npv. 26.—News from France today that the twen-ty-seventh and thirtieth divisions, which have been fighting with the British fourth army, have been withdrawn with only approximately 1 2,500 officers and men in eadh, does not mean that these organizations have been reduced to less than half of their normal strength in the severe fighting on the British front before the signing of the armistice. Army officers recalled today that only the infantry and machine gun units of these divisions went into action with the British forces, the artillery being used elsewhere. It also was regarded as more than probable that the infantry and machine gun units were reduced in number so a« to make the division conform in size to the British divisions with which they were operating. ,■ . The British divisional unit numbers about 12,500 men. The twen-ty-seventh division is the New York national guard division,' commanded by Major-General John F. O’Ryan, the only national guard officer to have served through the war with that high rank. The thirtieth division was composed of Jhe Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina national guard, and was known as the “Wild Cat’’ division. Both these organizations saw

heavy action with the British and were highly commended by British officers for their desperate fighting when Marshal Haig's armies were smashing the Hindenburg line in northern France early in the fall, and lateF engagements. Their losses undoubtedly have been heavy, but it is not regarded as probable that helf their original strength figured in the casualty lists. Secretary Baker said today that none of the divisional organizations wpuld arrive home before Christmas as the transport facilities will be >used in moving casuals and sick and wounded.

The youngest son of The Democrat editor and, it is thought, John Kriz of Newton township and Will Mustard of Goodland, is with the Thirtieth division, the former in the Motor Truck Co., and the latter in the Engineers. They w’ere sent from Camp Taylor, where they were in the 100th Engineers, to Camp Sevier, South Carolina, and made a part of the 105th Engineers, where they became identified with the southern soldiers who made up this division, known as the “Wild Oat” division, which, with the Twenty-seventh, was among the first allied troops in Belgium. These three are the only boys from this vicinity with the Thirtieth division, so far as we are able to learn. They were sent overseas early IfiHt June.—Editor.