The Washington herald., 1914-11-29
IN A HOUSE HIT BY SHELL.
Young French omcer's story Hs
Written to n New York Girl.


Written to n New York Girl.
A young woman well known in New
York society has received the following
communication from a young French ar
tillery officer. recently promoted for
bravery on the battlefield at wailly. The
letter, which as here given Is a transia-
ton from the French, was written from
the hospital at Orleans. The writer is
said TO be the youngest captain. in the
French army:
II am writing stretched out. because
my ankle is broken. and my back and
my body are cramped up and my head
scratched, but that is nothing: n few
scratches and a small fracture Will Keep
me where l am about a month. when ]
hope TO go back to my regiment. l am
so afraid il will be all over before l
return: but 1 have had luck!
Il was in a laborer's little cottage,
keeping it as a lookout telephone station
from which TO direct my battery Of four
beautiful cannons-all my own, because
was made a captain on the battlefield
OF Wailly. Our position was surely re-
ported 10 the Germans by sples. for on
the morning of the fourth day they open
the first floor with friend Capt - and
six of my men were beneath on the
ground floor with the telephone.
The first shots shook the earth around
us, but we had heard so much shooting
for months that We paid no attention
and went on writing orders. not being
able ourselves to fire at the time. Then
came a terrible crash in the house next
to u.s. It was from thir heaviest guns,
shall Wn de-
lighted: they had missed US. But in the
moment Of our rejoicing there was a ter
rife explosion and everything blew mp.
/ remember II all so clearly, FOR l did
not lose consciousness and saw 1t all.
The dark walls were suddenly illumi-
mated and in the sky huge black sDlinters
were flying ] felt a terrible noise in my
head and I sank gently until l found
myself on my feet in ruins Not wall
was left standing. I never saw the roof
again: II was carried away through the
air by the rush of the shell. And then 10
find myself alive, II was Sn queer and
So wonderful that began to laugh.
Il saw my friend. Capt. -, and two
other officers and their faces were
streaming with blood, as was mine. But
at the time We didn't notice II. We only
knew that we were alive. Then l heard
terrible groans and cries for help. They
heavy stone in a heap OF debris.
managed on my knees to push away the
stone to liberate him-but l can't de-
scribe it. 1t is too dreadful to write. AT
last help came and I ordered what was
Ieft Of my men to be carried away.
After that l thought il was about time
to get away myself. and It was then /
discovered that my leg was broken. for
| could not walk. 1t Is extraordinary
how your nerves kill the pain during the
time you are obliged to give orders.
crawled away on all fours. or rather on
all three, for 100 meters. The others
were too terribly wounded to help me-
And then for the first time 1 was afraid.
The Germans continued to sprinkle US
with shots and my only thought was:
Oh IL those shells would spare me. now
that l am wounded: it is not playing the
game 10 fire now And they did miss
me, every one of them, and / crawled at
last to safety. my poor uniform in tat
ters.''-New York Times.