Appendix

APPENDIX

The French Legion Etrangere, as it exists to-day, was or­ganized in 1831, although throughout the course of her his­tory France has had foreign troops in her service. The Foreign Legion of 1831 was formed in order to provide em­ployment for the hundreds of political refugees who had flocked to Paris from Poland and other countries, and a royal ordinance decreed that it should be used only in the colonies. The conquest of Algeria was then in progress, so the Legion was immediately sent to northern Africa, which has been its headquarters ever since. The corps has served with dis­tinction in all the French Colonial Wars since 1831, and in Europe during the Spanish and Crimean campaigns, the war of Napoleon III in Italy, and the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. It also played a heroic role during the ill-fated struggle of Maxmilian in Mexico.

When the World War broke out, there were two regiments of the Foreign Legion, including some sixteen thousand men, serving in the French Colonies. These men had all enlisted for five years’ service. As thousands of foreigners offered their services to France against Germany in August, 1914, a new law was passed authorizing these volunteers to enlist in the Foreign Legion for the duration of the war. Four new regiments de marche were formed in France: the Second, Third and Fourth Marching Regiments of the First Foreign Regiment (the Fourth Regiment de Marcbe was composed entirely of Italian volunteers, known as the Garibaldians), and the Second Regiment de Marcbe of the Second Foreign Regiment. Veteran Legionnaires were brought to France from the Colonies, to drill the new men, and to form a nucleus of experienced soldiers, necessary to make a valuable fighting machine. For the first year or more, there was considerable jealousy between the old Legionnaires of Colonial service and the volunteers fresh from civilian life. The latter rather looked down upon the veterans as mercenary soldiers, while the old Legionnaires quite justly considered the newcomers as inexperienced and raw. Months of common hardships and danger did away with these petty sentiments, and by the end of 1916, the Regiment de Marcbe de la Legion £trangere was probably the finest unit in the entire French Army. The four full marching regiments of 1914 had been reduced by terrific losses to one three-battalioned regiment, but this regiment won citation after citation in Army Orders, and covered itself with glory upon every battlefield where it ap­peared. 11 finally won the double fourragere, in the combined colors of the Legion d’Hotmeur and Croix de Guerre, the highest distinction a French regiment can earn.

Kiffin Rockwell first served in the Second Marching Regi­ment of the Second Foreign Regiment. In this unit were several hundred Russian Jews and Armenians, already afflicted with Bolshevist ideas and their presence and prop­aganda did much to sap the morale of the other volunteers, and to lessen their confidence in the fighting ability of their regiment. Shortly after Kiffin Rockwell transferred to the Second Marching Regiment of the First Foreign Regiment, the aforementioned Russian Jews mutinied; several were shot and others were sent away from the Legion (some re­turned to Russia after the revolution, and held important posts under the Bolshevist regime) greatly bettering the morale of the regiment.

The Ninth Squad—Neuvieme Escouade—frequently men­tioned in Kiffin Rockwell’s letters, was composed of the tallest men in C Battalion of the Second Marching Regiment: Kiffin and Paul Rockwell, Alan Seeger, Ferdinand Capde-vielle, Dennis Dowd, William Thaw, Stewart Carstairs and Frederick Zinn, Americans; two English volunteers, Booth and Buchanan; von Krogh, a Norwegian, and Elov Nilson, a Swede; Hubmajer, a Serbian; Pierre, an old French Legion­naire, and, as chief, a German from Saxony, Corporal Weideman. Most of the corvees, or unpleasant tasks, fell upon the shoulders of the Ninth Squad, partly because being tall, its members were the men most easily seen, and partly because Weideman was not popular with his sergeant, who delighted in passing on to him all the work possible.

The Ninth Squad made the longest, hardest forced march that fell to the lot of any unit of Legionnaires in France during the World War. The Second Foreign Regiment had been in the sector around the south side of Reims Mountain, and towards the end of October, 1914, was ordered to another part of the front.

The Ninth Squad was named “garde de convoi,” to escort the supply wagons to the new sector; the rest of the regiment went ahead in autobuses. Corporal Weideman lined up his men at the edge of-the little hill village of Verzenay (Marne) at 4:30 in the morning. Something was wrong with the kitchen supplies, and no rations were issued, except a half-cup , of lukewarm, strong, black coffee per rrjan. Then, behind the mule-drawn supply wagons and carts, the Squad set out, along the vineyard-lined highways, making almost a semi­circle around the doomed city of Reims.

Fortunately, the day was sunny, and there was plenty of color and interest along the route. The Division Marocaine was at this part of the front, and the brilliant uniforms of the Zouaves and the native Colonial sharp-shooters had not yet been changed for sober khaki. The Germans were bom­barding Reims, and shells could be seen breaking around the cathedral. There was much movement along the highways, and an occasional aeroplane flew overhead.

All this excitement kept fatigue away for hours, but when two o’clock in the afternoon arrived and no halt had been made for lunch—the Squad and supply train paused every fifty minutes for the regulation ten minutes rest—the men began to complain. Grumbling was useless, however; the corporal had his orders, which were to follow the convoy. No bread had been issued; a few of the men had some left of the previous day’s ration, and shared this with their comrades.

One of the mule-drivers started the rumor that Fismes was the destination of the Regiment, and that the convoy and its guard would also rest there for the night. By dusk, all the men of the Ninth Squad were footsore and weary, and even the Corporal was walking with a limp. He lost his detached attitude, and admitted that he did not know where a final halt would be made, but stated that he hoped to get orders at Fismes.

‘ Fismes was reached shortly after dark. No one there had seen or heard anything of the Second Foreign Regiment, but finally, a dispatch-bearing cyclist appeared, and the convoy and guard set forth up the hill towards the Aisne sector. By now the mules themselves could scarcely walk, and their drivers were swearing as vociferously as their exhausted condi­tion would permit. The men of the Ninth Squad were so sod­den in misery that they could not complain, but staggered on in a sort of daze. Every half hour, ten-minute halts were made, and the men threw themselves down and slept, on rock piles or anything else at hand to keep them out of the mud.

Finally, at eleven o’clock at night, a real halt was called, on a hillside above Berry-au-Bac, so near the trenches that orders given their men by the French officers could be heard distinctly. A steady machine-gun and rifle fire was going on. Kiffin Rockwell, Alan Seeger and Dennis Dowd were called off by the Corporal, and posted on guard; the rest of the men threw themselves down and tried to sleep.

The Ninth Squad had marched fifty-six kilometers, carry­ing rifles, cartridges, and other equipment.

A little after four o’clock the next morning, the convoy and guard again set forward, and a few hours later staggered into the tiny hamlet of Cuiry-les-Chaudardes (Aisne), which was to be headquarters for the American Volunteers for some months to come.

names appearing in letters

Balsley, Clyde, of San Antonio, Texas. Balsley was in hospital for almost a year and a half, before he finally re­covered from his wound, which left him permanently crippled. He was decorated with the Medaille Militaire and the Croix de Guerre, with a glowing citation in Army Orders. He re­turned to America in the autumn of 1917, and despite his disability, offered “his services to the United States; he was commissioned captain and was very useful, attached to the Pursuit Division, United States Air Service.

Buchanan; an English volunteer in the Foreign Legion. He transferred to the British Army in 1915.

Capdevielle, Ferdinand, of New York City, known as ” Cap” to his comrades of the Legion. He transferred to the lyoth French Line Regiment in October, 1915, and at Ver­dun in 1916 was first promoted corporal, then sergeant, and was decorated with the Croix de Guerre for gallant conduct during the retaking of the Bois de Caillette, near Verdun. When Kiffin Rockwell was killed, Capdevielle wrote as fol­lows to Paul Rockwell: “While at the front 1 read in the papers that Kiffin had died serving under the French flag. It is, 1 must say, a very-hard blow to you, Paul, but what do you want, we have at times to part with what we love best.

” For my part, I must say that I respected Kiffin more than any other American I have ever known, and although I am very grieved at his death, I am proud to say that 1 was a friend of an American hero who did not think twice of offering his life.”

Capdevielle did not transfer to the United States Army after his country entered the ranks against Germany, al­though offered a good commission as officer. He declared that he had started out in the war under the French flag, and that he would end his military career there. He won the rank of sous-lieutenant in the lyoth Line Regiment, and was killed on October 3, 1918, leading his men in a charge against the German machine-gun nests at Orfeuil (Champagne).

Capdevielle was the last of the American Volunteers of 1914 to fall in battle, and was posthumously awarded the Cross of the Legion of Honor, with the following brilliant citation:

“Capdevielle, Ferdinand, Sous-Lieutenant, brillant of-ficier. Citoyen americain, engage volontaire au service de la France des le debut de la guerre. A participe tant a la Legion Etrangere qu’au \jo^m R. I., & toutes les batailles importantes de la campagne. A toujours fait 1’admiration de ses hommes et conquis I’estime de ses chefs par ses vertus militaires et morales. Le 3 Octobre, 1918, charg6 d’enlever a 1’assaut le peloton de tete de sa compagnie, est parti su-perbement, progressant malgre un feu extremement violent de mitrailleuses ennemis, qu’il tenta de reduire imme’diatement par la manoeuvre et le feu de ses pieces. Est tombe” glorieuse-ment, frappe d’une balle a la tete, a 1’instant me’me ou il se dressait debout pour enlever ses hommes a 1’assaut de la position ennemie. A etc cite.”

Translation: Capdevielle, Ferdinand, Sous-Lieutenant, brilliant officer. American citizen, volunteered his services for France at the outbreak of the war. Took part, both in the Foreign Legion and in the lyoth Infantry Regiment, in all the • important battles of the campaign. Won the admiration of his men and the esteem of his chiefs by his military and moral qualities. On October 3rd, 1918, ordered to rescue the platoon at the head of his company from the assault of the enemy, he departed in superb style, advancing despite the extremely violent fire of the enemy mitrailleuses, which he sought to reduce by maneuvering his own machine-guns. Fell glori­ously, struck by a bullet in the head at the very instant he was about to rescue his men from the enemy’s position.”

• Casey, John Jacob, of San Francisco. An artist who had lived in Paris for a number of years before the war. He was wounded during the Champagne offensive, September 25, 1915, but after a short stay in hospital, recovered and re­turned to the front, where he remained until the end of 1917, when he was liberated from the Legion in order to join the United States Army. Casey was cited in Army Orders, and decorated with the Croix de Guerre.

Chapman, Victor Emmanuel, of New York City. Chap­man was cited in Army Orders as follows:

“Citoyen americain, engage pour la duree de la guerre. Pilote remarquable par son audace, s’elancant sur les avions ennemis quelqu’il en soit le nombre, et quelque soit 1’altitude. Le 24 Mai, a attaque seul trois avions allemands; a livre un combat au cours duquel il a eu ses ve”tements traverses de plusieurs balles et a etc blesse au bras.”

” Pilote de Chasse qui etait un modele d’audace, d’energie et entrain, et faisait 1’admiration de ses camarades d’esca-drille. Serieusement blesse a la tete le 17 Juin, a demande de ne pas interrompre son service. Quelques jours plus tard s’etant lance a 1’attaque de plusieurs avions ennemis, a trouve une mort glorieuse au cours de la lutte.”

Victor Chapman was posthumously awarded the Medaille Militaire. His letters to his family were published in book form.

Chatkoff, Herman Lincoln, of Brooklyn, N. Y. Chatkoff transferred from the Legion to the Aviation in May, 1916. Shortly after he began flying at the front, in June, 1917, he was badly injured in an aeroplane accident near Chaudon, and was incapacitated for further service. He was decorated with the Croix de Guerre.

Dowd, Dennis, of Brooklyn, N. Y., a young lawyer, graduate of Georgetown and Columbia Universities, who sailed for France at the outbreak of the war in August, 1914, and enlisted in the Legion. He was wounded during the Champagne battle, October, 1915, and upon recovery trans­ferred to the Aviation. He was killed in a flying accident at Buc, near Paris, on August 12, 1916, the first American volunteer to die at a French aviation training school.

Drossner, Carl Jean. A California Jew, who deserted from the Foreign Legion after a few weeks at the Lyons training camp. He was in prison in Chicago, towards the end of 1918, on the charge of passing a worthless cheque.

Eyre, Lincoln, Paris Correspondent of the New York World, during the war.

Farnsworth, Henry Weston, of Dedham, Mass. One of the finest of the American Volunteers in the French Army. A graduate of Harvard, and a writer of much talent, he en­listed in the Legion in January, 1915, and was killed in the storming of the Bois Sabot (Champagne); September 28, 1915. He was posthumously awarded the Medaille Militair-and the Croix de Guerre, and his letters, written home from France, were published in a memorial volume.

Hadley, Ernest. An English volunteer, who was badly wounded in the hand by a shrapnel ball in December, 1914, near Craonnelle. One finger had to be amputated, and his hand was left crippled, incapacitating Hadley for further service.

Hall, Bert, a genial adventurer from Higginsville, Mo., and elsewhere. He returned to America early in 1917, and signed his name to a very readable book, entitled ” En 1’Air,” in which he says of Kiffin Rockwell:

“One of the best of them all was poor Kiffin Rockwell, brother of Paul, one of the cleanest, squarest men I ever knew. Kiffin didn’t know the meaning of fear. 1 think he had as many combats in the air as any man in the French aviation. He was credited with three Boches, but I am sure he brought down more, no less than six. . . . Kiffin lost his life in a combat near where he brought down his first German. He wore the Medaille Militaire, the Croix de Guerre, and had the rank of sub-lieutenant. 1 still miss him, and always will, and 1 have not yet finished revenging Kiffin’s loss. He was so skinny, I used to call him the Living Hall Tree. We used to tell Kiffin that if he could keep side on to a German it would be impossible to hit him.”

Happe, Captain. One of the most famous of the earlier chiefs of French aviation. His bombing raids into German territory were celebrated throughout the Allied Armies, and his own hairbreadth escapes were countless. Happen ever sent his pilots anywhere he would not go himself, but he lost so many men that finally he was sent back to the infantry, and ended the war commanding a Battalion of Colonial Sharpshooters.

Hill, Dudley Lawrence, of Peekskill, N. Y. Hill deserved great credit for flying, as he had defective vision in one eye. He started the war as an ambulance driver, but quickly tired of a non-combatant’s part, and was one of the early men to enlist in the Aviation. He ended the war a captain in the United States Air Service.

Hill was decorated with the Croix de Guerre, and in December, 1924, was awarded the Cross of the Legion of Honor.

Hubmajer, a broad-shouldered, six-foot-two Serbian Volun­teer, who was covered with scars from wounds received in Balkan campaigns, in spite of being under twenty-five years old. He returned to the Serbian Army, in the fall of 1915.

Jim—james Rogers McConnell, of Carthage, North Carolina, after Victor Chapman, Kiffin Rockwell’s closest friend in the Escadrille Americaine. A graduate of the University of Virginia, and a writer of note, McConnell came to France at the beginning of 1915, and engaged in the Ambulance service, but, to quote his own words, “all along I had been convinced that the United States ought to aid in the struggle against Germany. With that conviction, it was plainly up to me to do more than drive an ambulance. The more 1 saw of the splendor of the fight the French were making, the more 1 felt like an embusque—what the British call a ” shirker.” So I made up my mind to go into aviation.”

McConnell liked to write. He had a natural and easy style, and his book ” Flying for France” was one of the best war books written; it was published a few weeks before Jim’s death, and was very widely read. Jim McConnell was killed in aerial combat on March 19, 1917; near Flavy-le-Martel (Aisne) his aeroplane falling within the enemy lines. The Germans were retreating from that part of the front, but took time to strip Jim’s body and rob it of all identification papers and other effects. French cavalrymen found the wrecked aeroplane, with the remains of its pilot lying near by, three days later, and buried poor Jim where he fell.

McConnell had been decorated with the Croix de Guerre, with two citations, and was posthumously awarded the Medaille Militaire.

Johnson, Charles Chouteau, of St. Louis, Mo. One of the early members of the Escadrille Americaine. He won the Croix de Guerre by his good work, and later transferred to the United States Aviation Service, with the rank of Cap­tain.

It is interesting to note that one of Johnson’s uncles, Pierre Chouteau, was an American volunteer in the Foreign Legion during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870.

Kelly, Russell, of New York. Kelly’s body was never found, and just how he met his death on June i6th, or i7th, 1915, may never be known, as few of his comrades survived that attack. His letters to his family were published, under the title ” Kelly of the Foreign Legion.” He was posthumously awarded the Medaille Militaire and the Croix de Guerre.

King, David, of Providence, R. 1. King won the Croix de Guerre, fighting under the French flag, and later became an officer in the United States Army.

Krogh, Baron Henri L. von Krogh, a Norwegian volunteer, invalided out of the Legion, because of heart trouble, in the fall of 1915.

De Laage, Lieutenant, Alfred de Laage de Meux, second in command of the Escadrille”Americaine (Escadrille Lafa­yette). There probably never was an officer more loved and respected by his men than Lieutenant de Laage. He had served in the i4th Regiment of Dragoons, from the outbreak of the war until he was wounded. After recovery from his wound, he entered the Aviation Service, accom­panied by his faithful orderly, Jean Drossy, who had saved his life upon the battlefield.

Lieutenant de Laage had already had considerable expe-ience flying at the front, when he and Captain Thenault took charge of the newly formed Escadrille Americaine, in April, 1916. Norman Hall says of him in the “Official History of the Lafayette Flying Corps”: “He represented all that is best in French character and had a power of personal magnet­ism which made him a natural leader. He gave to his pilots a new conception of the meaning of patriotism, and it is not the least exaggeration to say that the love which the Ameri­cans had for him bordered upon adoration.”

He was Kiffin Rockwell’s usual flying companion. Kiffin told the following story of one of their sorties together:

” Very early one morning Lieutenant de Laage and 1 went on patrol together. Over Etain, 1 saw a Boche underneath me. I immediately dove on him, and when I was just about ready to open fire, two other Germans, whom I had not seen, attacked me, filling my machine full of holes. 1 thought that my last hour had surely come. Lieutenant de Laage had already had a combat and his machine-gun was jammed. But although it was impossible for him to fire even one shot, he dove on the two Boches who were trying to bring me down and drove them away. 1 am certain that at that moment he saved my life, as he had done many times before.”

After having been five times cited in Army Orders, and winning the Legion d’Honneur and the Croix de Guerre, Lieutenant de Laage de Meux was killed at Ham (Somme), on May 23, 1917, in a flying accident, as he was leaving his aviation field for a patrol over the Lines. His orderly, Drossy, had been killed exactly one month previously, on April 23rd, accompanying Ronald Hoskier in a two-seater aeroplane as machine-gunner.

Lufbery, Gervais Raoul, of Wallingford, Conn. The “Ace of Aces” of all American aviators. After twenty-nine years of life crammed full of travel and fascinating ad­venture, Lufbery enlisted in the Foreign Legion in August 1914, and was immediately transferred to the Aviation Ser­vice. He began his career as pilot of a fighting aeroplane, when he joined the Escadrille Americaine at the Verdun front, having hitherto flown only bombing and observation machines.

Lufbery destroyed something like fifty German aeroplanes, seventeen of his victories being officially confirmed; he was cited ten times in French Army Orders, and was decorated with the Legion d’Honneur, the Medaille Militaire, the Croix de Guerre with ten palms, and the British Military Medal. He transferred to the United States Air Service, with the rank of Major, on January i, 1918, and was killed in aerial combat at Maron (Merthe-et-Moselle), on May 19, 1918, his body falling in the garden of a peasant woman’s house.

McConnell, James Rogers (See Jim).

Masson, Didier. A French pilot, who had flown in the United States and Mexico before the war. An excellent pilot, he won the Medaille Militaire and the Croix de Guerre with two palms, and ended the war as a flying instructor at Camp d’Avord.

Morlae, Edward. Claimed to be from California. He
deserted from the Legion in October, 1915, returned to
America, and signed his name to magazine articles and a
book, purporting to tell of his experiences while fighting in
France.

Musgrave, Frank, of San Antonio, Texas. A lawyer be­fore the war, Musgrave became famous throughout the Legion as “Lucky Frank,” because of his many narrow escapes from death at the front. He transferred to the lyoth French Line Regiment, after the Champagne offensive of September-October, 1915, and was captured with his en­tire company by the Germans near Vaux (Verdun), Febru­ary 26th, 1916. He remained in German prison camps for the rest of the war, the privations he suffered there greatly undermining his health.

Navarre. The first great French “Ace,” and one of the most popular and skilled aviators. He was killed in a flying accident after the war.

Nilson, Elov. A Swedish volunteer, killed in the Somme, September 12, 1916, after winning the Croix de Guerre, and being proposed for the Medaille Militaire.

Noel, E. Percy. Chicago Daily News aviation corre­spondent in Paris during the war.

Pavelka, Paul, of Madison, Conn. Pavelka joined the Escadrille Americaine at the front, only a few days before Kiffin Rockwell was killed. On one of his first flights over the Verdun front, his aeroplane took fire while high in the air, but by careful piloting, Pavelka was able to land safely in a swamp. He declared this experience to be more dread­ful than anything he had undergone in the Legion.

Pavelka felt lonely in France, after Kiffin Rockwell fell, and in December, 1916, asked to be sent to the Salonica front. There he became widely and favorably known throughout the Allied Armies, and was awarded the Croix de Guerre, with this citation:

“Sujet americain, engage volontaire pour la duree de la guerre. Grievement blesse dans 1’lnfanterie le 16 Juin, 1915. Passe dans 1’aviation, est devenu un pilote de chasse ardent, opiniatre et d’une grande conscience. Ne cesse de donner en Orient des preuves d’allant et de devouement.

“Nombreux combats a la suite desquels il est rentre frequemment avec des balles dans son appareil.

(Signe) sarrail.”

Translation: An American citizen, who volunteered for the duration of the war. Badly wounded as an Infantryman, June i6th, 1915. Transferred to the Aviation, where he has become a keen fighting pilot, being tenacious and very con­scientious. While in the Near East he has always been on the go, giving untiring proof of devotion to duty. Has fought numerous air duels, from which he has often returned with his machine riddled by bullets.

Pavelka’s death was a curious instance of the irony of fate. After his countless narrow escapes as an Infantryman and as an aviator, he was killed by a fall from a horse, a misfortune which might have befallen him when he was a boy on the farm in Connecticut! One day, while off duty near Salonica, he ran across an English cavalryman, a former friend in the Legion. Pavelka visited his old comrade at the latter’s regimental headquarters, and while trying to ride a no­toriously vicious horse, was thrown, trampled on, and fatally injured. He died the following day, November 12, 1917, and was given an imposing funeral, officers and men from all the Al­lied Armies in the Near East being present. Edgar Bouligny, one of Pavelka’s close American friends in the Legion, and who also had changed to the Aviation after wounds, arrived at Sa­lonica just in time to learn of his death and attend his funeral.

Pechkoff, Zinovi. A Russian volunteer, adopted son of the famous writer, Maxim Gorky. His right arm was shot away at the shoulder May 9, 1915, but in spite of this dis­ability, he remained in the service of France. In 1916, and again in 1918, he was sent to the United States on lecture tours, and after the Armistice, he was attached to Kolchak’s, Denikin’s and Wrangel’s White Armies, in their efforts to rescue Russia from the Bolshevists.

In January, 1925, Pechkoff was a captain commanding a company of the Fourth Foreign Regiment, in Morocco. He was decorated with the Legion d’Honneur, Medaille Militaire, Croix de Guerre, and several Russian and other Allied medals.

Phelizot, Rene, of Chicago, 111. He ran away from home at the age of thirteen, and was first a cabin-boy on a Mis­sissippi river passenger boat, later seeking adventure in many lands. Phelizot’s father was of French origin, and being in Paris, resting after a long big game shooting excursion in the African jungles, Rene enlisted in the Foreign Legion soon after war was declared, in August, 1914. He made an ex­cellent and cheerful soldier. Phelizot died in the military hospital at Fismes (Marne), March 9, 1915.

Prince, Charles. Uncle of Norman Prince, and for many years a resident of France. Known as “Uncle Charlie” to the American Volunteers in the French Aviation and the Foreign Legion, because of his affectionate interest in them.

Prince, Norman, of Pride’s Crossing, Mass. A Harvard graduate, Prince had flown much in America before the war. He came to France early in 1915, and on March 4th enlisted in the Aviation Service, and entered the training school at Pau. Prince worked long and faithfully at forming an escadrille composed of American Volunteer aviators, and was one of the original members of the Escadrille Americaine. He was fatally injured October 12, 1916, when his aeroplane crashed during a night landing, after protecting one of Captain Happe’s bombing raids across the Rhine.

Norman Prince was named sous-lieutenant, and decorated with the Legion d’Honneur, as he lay on his deathbed; he had previously been awarded the Medaille Militaire and the Croix de Guerre. He died October 15, 1916. A memorial volume was published of his letters from the front.

Rapier. An English volunteer, who became a sergeant in the Legion. He was invalided out of service in 1915.

Rumsey, Lawrence, of Buffalo, N. Y. One of the early members of the Escadrille Americaine. Ill-health kept him from doing much actual flying.

Scanlan, Lawrence, of Cedarhurst, Long Island. He remained in hospital for almost a year and a half after his wound of June 16, 1915, and was decorated with the Croix de Guerre while still under the surgeon’s care, for his courage in action. Invalided out of the army at the end of 1916, with one leg six inches shorter than the other, he re-enlisted in the Aviation a few days later. After several months of training, he was forced to give up flying.

Scanlan died from his wound, Nov. 25, 1920; he was operated on eight times during the month preceding his death, and his crippled leg was amputated, but too late to save his life.

Seeger, Alan, of New York City. The famous poet of the Foreign Legion, he wrote some of the most beautiful verse in­spired by the war. Seeger was killed during the storming of Belloy-en-Santerre (Somme), July 4th, 1916, and was posthumously awarded the Medaille Militaire and the Croix de Guerre. His War Letters, Diary and Poems were pub­lished in two volumes, and also translated into French.

Smith, John. The name under which John Earle Fike, of Wooster, Ohio, enlisted in the Foreign Legion. He was killed June i6th, 1915, and his body was never found.

Soubiran, Robert, of New York City. He was born in France, of French parentage, but emigrated to the United States at an early age. When war broke out in 1914, Sou­biran heeded the call of his mother country, came to France, and joined the Legion. He was wounded during the Cham­pagne attack, October, 1915, and later transferred to the Aviation. He was decorated with the Legion d’Honneur and the Croix de Guerre, and ended the war a captain in the United States Aviation Service.

Teresien, Sergeant of the Section of C Battalion, Second Marching Regiment of the Second Foreign Regiment, in which were most of the American Volunteers. His left arm was shot away in Champagne, September 25, 1915.

Thaw, William, of Pittsburg, Pa. Thaw ended the war a lieutenant-colonel in the United States Aviation Service, after having officially destroyed five German aeroplanes. He became an officer of the Legion d’Honneur, won the Croix de Guerre with four palms and two stars, and the Distin­guished Service Cross with bronze oak leaf.

Thenault, Georges. Captain commanding the Escadrille Americaine (Escadrille Lafayette) from the day it was or­ganized until it was disbanded, Jan. i, 1918, and its American pilots were taken over by the United States aviation service. Thenault was a French army flyer before the war, and was selected to lead the American Volunteer Pilots, because of his excellent record as chief of a French escadrille at the front.

Thenault’s task as commanding officer of the Escadrille Americaine was a difficult one. He was instructed by the French Ministry of War and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, on taking charge of the Escadrille, not to be too strict with his men, because they were foreign volunteers. He was not much older than some of his pilots, but his ripe experi­ence as a peace time and war flyer enabled him to acquit himself of his task with distinction. He performed his duties with tact and kindly interest in his men, few of whom fortunately tried to take, advantage of the orders he had received not to over-discipline them.

Captain Thenault was decorated with the Legion d’Hon-neur and the Croix de Guerre, with four palms. After the war, he wrote and published a book: “The Story of the Lafayette Escadrille.” He was Military Attache for Aero­nautics at the French Embassy, Washington, in January, 1925.

Thorin, Daniel William. “Billy” Thorin was born in Sweden, but went to America when very young, and became a United States citizen. He recovered from his wounds received in Champagne, September 28, 1915, and rejoined the Legion at the front, but after a few months contracted tuberculosis. After a long stay in hospital, he was invalided out of the army, and returned to America. Mr. John Jay Chapman sent him to a sanatorium in Arizona, where he died, September 25, 1918. “Billy’s” last request was that he be given a military funeral and this wish was complied with, the Governor of Arizona sending a regiment of troops to escort the Legionnaire’s remains to their final resting place.

Trinkard, Charles, of Ozone Park, N. Y. Was shot through the shoulder, September 28, 1915, when the Legion stormed the Bois Sabot. Transferred to the Aviation in March, 1917, and was killed in a flying accident, Thanksgiv­ing Day, November agth, 1917. He had just returned from a patrol over the lines, and started to do some acrobatic stunts over a village, where he knew his old comrades of the Legion were quartered. He wing-slipped while making a vertical turn and, because of the low altitude at which he was flying, crashed into the ground before he could regain speed, and was instantly killed. Some of his American Legionnaire friends were the first to reach his wrecked machine, and Christopher Charles wrote later:

“We did not know who had fallen, but when we saw the khaki uniform and the red fourragere of the Legion we were mightily grieved, for we all knew Trink and the splendid work he had done as an infantryman. He did more than his duty in this war and did it cheerfully.”

Weeks, Kenneth, of New Bedford, Mass. His body was found between the lines, in November, 1915, over five months after he was killed. Kenneth Weeks’ War Letters were published in book form, and he was posthumously awarded the Medaille Militaire and the Croix de Guerre.

Zinn, Frederick William, of Battle Creek, Mich. He transferred to the Aviation, after having been wounded in Champagne, October, 1915. He specialized in aerial photog­raphy, and his months of experience doing this work at the front caused him to be one of the first American aviators in the French service to be asked for by the United States Air Service, after the entry of America into the war. Zinn was decorated with the Croix de Guerre for his conduct at the front with the French Aviation Corps. He ended the war a Major in the A. E. F.