Page:Christian Science War Time Activities.djvu/375

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

TIMELY RECOGNITION

American barber shop, a tailor shop, a six-night-a-week entertainment, a reading and writing room, a recreation room fitted up with games of various sorts, and a package department. This last was an office to which men could bring all packages they wished sent home. They were weighed, wrapped and properly stamped and started on their trip across the Atlantic. So thoroughgoing and successful was the “Welfare Outfit” that an officer who inspected it declared it was one of the finest he had seen in France. Soon after, the 91st left the embarkation area and sailing from St. Nazaire, arrived in this country in April, 1919. The chaplain accompanied them and has since that time received his honorable discharge from the service.

We add with pleasure that since Chaplain Whitney's discharge, with the approbation of the Commander-in-Chief of the American Expeditionary Forces in France, the Marshal of France, Petain, who is Commander-in-Chief of the French Armies of the East, issued the following citation:

“Chaplain Arthur C. Whitney, 364 Regiment Infantry near Waereghem, Belgium, October 31, 1918, placed himself at the head of the company and marched with it to the reserved positions. By his courageous works and his coolness he aided in keeping good order among this troop.”

The official record of the regiment mentions the incident as “one of the most deadly shellings which the regiment sustained.” For this service the French Government awarded Chaplain Whitney the Croix de Guerre with bronze star.

The second of the two Chaplains appointed in August, Mr. George R. Bonner, was assigned to duty with the 31st or Dixie Division, then in Camp

309