Imperial Valley press., 1914-10-02
Vote CaIifOrnia DrY-
WITH
LOST SOLDIERS

rams, OCI. "A COIicoDOIluCiiI JHoC
returned from Rauen told me today
how he found two "lost" British
British soldiers and succeeded il
sending them back to their base "a
Saina Quentin. He said:
"While dining at hotel was SUI
prised TO see British artilleryman
and (; private of the Bedfords walk
solemnly up to the manager, take out
a small card and point silently to al
inscription on it.
"The manager addressed them in
voluble French, but they only shook
their heads and said Parlye pas. A
waiter was then instructed to give
them Il seat and fetch them food.
"After | had made friends they
told me a strange tale of adventures.
Both had fought at Namur, had taken
part in the gradual retirement from
the French frontier and were present
at 14he battles of Mons and Saint
Quentin.
fordshire5 suffered terrible losses and
my friend became parted from his
comrades, his rifle and his equipment,
in an unsuccessful effort to save a
machine gun.
'In the course Of his subsequent
wanderings, he met gunner of the
r. =. A., also lost. The two found
that The British forces had retracted
to Ham, and that they were in the
midst of Germans. The gunner sud
denly remembered that he had a card
on which was written everyday phases
in Eaglish, with their French equiva-
lents. Armed with this, they went t.
a farm and on entering pointed t.
the sentence 4 am lost The kindly
! housewife hid them in loft and gave
, them food and drink.
"When the Germans had left thc
district the Tommies were placed in Z
cart under some straw and driver
away 20 miles further south. They
We're then set on the road and giver
directions by the driver, although Is
they understood no French they wers
not much wiser. Feeling hungry the
went to a wayside inn and pointed t.
the three items on the card: 4 an
> lost 4 am hungry and I am thirsty.
"Aeain they received a substantial
meal for nothing and this time theJ
2 were given lift to place they coult
not remember, where they were put
in train, after a free meal at tn,
{ station hotel. They had to change
twice before arriving at Rouen, bu,
each time the magic card was al
open sesame to hotels, cafes and t.
, first class railway carriages.
"They reached Rouen at dinner
time and following their usual custom
entered the most imposing hotel the!
! could see, which proved to be the one
= where l was staying. ! took then
5 back to Che station and set them i.
train for Lc Havrc.
!, "Bcfore leaving, the artillerymal
said that when he received a peerag
he was going to make his arms out D
the words, 4 am lost I am hungry,
I am thirsty surrounded by th'
French and British colors.
THIS man also told me of a cleve
ruso by the Germans, whereby the.
\ were able to POUR deadly artillery fir
Ton the British positions. Two or thre,
| German aeroplanes went up, locate,
th% British trenches and batteries an
dro Dpcd from Immediately above
lI.ino> Of flimsy shining paper whict
float Sd about and by its reflectio.
cav, &hc German gunners their rang
and objection,
"Tbjs> same man told mc that al
most tbh whole Of his battcry-Jh
If2lth Of II. +. A.-was left dead a
Manner, %Yhile the guns were in po
Isjtion witty gunpits on the right,
greatly snnlorior body of German ar
Itllerv camoa up and shellcd them from
tbo ,cft TI3cy were obliged to swim,
tboi,, ouns Found in the open Will
under bcav,E fire. Knowing that bu
few COULD I cape, the gunners shooI
hands and jrot to work.
"Fhally pe MAJOR IN command wa
OBLIGED to oIrdcr the few remaining
men Of the / Battery to make their Gun
useless and save themselves. He him
self was lried almost Immediately AZ
Itorwards Is was the captain attach"
to .bo bat terry. 4 shook hands witI
NV ral 1Nobby Clark said my in
formant, e; ana " minute afterwards II
was dead !, We made the guns use
Iass and ,arith four or five others
..,.-....5 % escape to the rear