Share your discoveries
Please help us spread the word about Record Hunter and the thousands of FREE historical and genealogical records we provide...Use the social media buttons on every page that interests you.
Search Historica
Visit Historica to search over 100 indexes to 1 Million+ birth, death, marriage, obituary, estate, naturalization and military service records. Searching is free, we offer digital copies of the indexed documents for $10 and items are usually delivered within 24 hours.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF APPLETON'S "OLD COMPANY G"
(Co. A, 150th Machine Gun Battalion)
by LIEUTENANT ALLAN B. ELLIS
Page 4
Get this book on Kindle - FREE for Kindle Unlimited
EXPLANATION AND APPRECIATION
BY MAJOR BYRON BEVERIDGE
That the Rainbow Division was regarded as one of the 'shock' divisions of the American army is plainly shown by the manner in which the 150th Machine Gun Battalion, to which Old Company G was attached, was shifted from one fighting front to another.
A 'shock' division consists of veteran troops which are rushed from one front to the other by rail, by trucks or by forced marches either to surprise the enemy who may think himself opposed by green troops, or to weaken the morale of the enemy. This latter effect is achieved by the sudden appearance before him of troops who have defeated him in the past and whom he believed to be on another front. Divisions which do not come under the classification of 'shock' troops are usually held in one particular sector or moved gradually from one sector to another as the fighting front changes and shifts.
We, of the Thirty-Second Division, give the Rainbows credit for having put up a wonderful fight. They fought on as many fronts as any American division, in fact only one or two divisions saw action on as many fronts as did the Rainbows. They added to the glory of the National Guard of the country, for it was a strictly National Guard division, made up of the national guard from various states, and proved beyond all argument that the National Guard from all parts can depended upon to do its full duty.
For the part played by Captain Graef's company we, who have seen numerous other machine gun companies in action and know the important part they play as well as the great dangers they encounter, have nothing but praise.
While at the First Corps School last spring the writer met a machine gun instructor of the school's staff who had just returned from spending a week in the trenches with Captain Graef. In speaking of him the instructor said: 'He is an excellent officer, has his men well in hand and is popular with them. He has a habit of walking through the trenches and jollying the men when they are under fire which has an excellent effect in keeping their spirits up.'
Previous / Next