Letter from Otto P. Higgins to the Kansas City Star - March 20
Transcript
To the Kansas City Star. From O.P. Higgins. With the Thirty-fifth Division in France.-When it comes to commanding officers, the Thirty-fifth can give any other division in France cards and spades and then clean up the game, hands down. Speaking literally, every time the moon changed a new batch of officers were shipped to the Thirty-fifth and apportioned out to the various headquarters. Just about the time the men would begin to recognize their commanding officer when they passed him, another would take charge. And then, about as quick as he became sort of half way acquainted with the officers and men under him he would be sent away and another one brought on to replace him. This changing of officers continually may have had something to do with the dissatisfaction that has arisen both inside and outside of the Thirty-fifth, and it may not have. That is problematical, and a thing about which the minds of men differ. The only outfit which has been able to keep its commanding officer all the way through is the Sixtieth Field Artillery Brigade, and two or three of the smaller units. The others have had officers to burn. Early in February a list of the commanding officers was compiled at division headquarters. The list now, on March 20, has again changed considerably, many of the old officers coming back to return to the States with their original outfit, so the present list will not hold good when the troops reach home, many changes having been effected in the meantime. The official list of commanding officers follow:
Transcript
The steel gates were locked and had remained so since the days of the German
Details
| Title | Letter from Otto P. Higgins to the Kansas City Star - March 20 |
| Creator | Higgins, Otto P. |
| Source | Higgins, Otto P. Letter to the Kansas City Star. 20 March. Higgins, Otto P. Collection. 2010.145. The National World War I Museum, Kansas City, Missouri. |
| Description | Otto P. Higgins did not serve in the United States military, but he spent the entire span of the war in training camps and overseas with the army as a staff correspondent for the Kansas City Star. He wrote about soldiers from the Mid-West, especially Missouri and Kansas. Higgin's began his service with the old Third Regiment, and was with regiments at Camp Nichols, Fort Riley, Camp Funston, Camp Doniphan, Fort Leavenworth, Fort Sheridan, and finally in France. This is a brief description by Otto P. Higgins of the commanding officers of the 35th Division. He stated that the division was constantly changing commanding officers. Higgins also stated that the many other divisions were unable to keep their commanding officers. |
| Site Accession Number | 2010.145 |
| Contributing Institution | National World War I Museum and Memorial |
| Copy Request | Transmission or reproduction of items on these pages beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the National World War I Museum and Memorial: (816) 888-8100. |
| Rights | The text and images contained in this collection are intended for research and educational use only. Duplication of any of these images for commercial use without express written consent is expressly prohibited. |
| Language | English |