South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-08-27
SOLDIER WAKES
UP IN HOSPITAL
Queer Stories of War CoinCi-
denCeS Are TOId-ReSCued
RepayS ReSCuer.

LONDON. Aug. 27-While r. II.
James a prominent resident Of Full
ham. was at Charing cross a few
days ago he noticed a number Of men
clad in khaki getting out OF the boat
train. RE learned they had just ar
rived from far off Fiji. where they
had given up good situations to Of
Ter their services TO the Motherland
in her hour of need. Mr.. James ask
ed If any of them were from Suva
Yes replied one of the stalwart
Young fellows. II come from Suya.
DO you know Harry Janes?" in
Juired the man from pullman.
Il should think i do. He and /
are overseers on the same plantation.
] have a letter of introduction 10 his
brother. Mr.. +. II. James Of Pullman"
You can hand il over now" said
Mr.. James. Both were amazed TO
learn that the first man the south Sea
Islander had spoken TO Or reaching
London was the very man in ali Eng
land he wished TO see.
This is but one Of the extrao rdi-
nary condolences which the war has
brought forth. A London hospital
had another remarkable illustration:
Woke Up i'm London.
young soldier was severely
wounded in the fighting somewhere
in France" He lost consciousness,
and when he regained il he was lying
comfortably in a bed in a ward Of a
large hospital. His first words were
Where am ~ The nurse told him
that he was in London, that during
the period Of his Inconsistencies he
had been transported across the
channel, and that his wounds had
been tended. He asked the name Of
the hospital. the number of the ward,
the day of the week, aind the hour.
The nurse told him. Il say, nurse.
you might tell my dad / am here"
The nurse looked at him, thinking
the poor lad was in a delirium.
"Al right nurse, my dads in the
next ward now. You know he is the
surgeon there, and this is his visit
ing day."
And so it was. The father was in
the next ward performing his work.
thinking all the time his son was in
France He did not even know that
the boy was wounded, far less that
he was being tended a few yards
away.
A curious coincidence is also assO-
ciated with the Falklands battle. 1t
occurred during the sinking of the
Gneisenau off the Falkland Islands,
and the interesting incident is told
by a midshipman of the CarnarvOn.
He states:
Was sole Survivor
zone OF the officers saved was a
first cousin of our admiral (StOd-
dard). He is a strong chap and quite
a good fellow. He had an eXtraor-
binary experience. Half the Gnei-
senaU's men were killed by shell fire
alone. He was in an So turret as
second torpedo officer. The ferret
was knocked out, and he was the
sole survivor. He then went 10 a
easement gun which was also knock
ed out and all the crew killed He
went to a third (anOther casemenD,
which was also knocked out and he
was again practically the sole sur
vivor. He went to another gun, and
the ship was then sunk. He re-
manned in icy water for nearly one
and a quarter hours, and was picked
up by one of our cutters. He was
rather dazed. but cool and collected
in the boat. After lying shivering in
the bottom Of the cutter for half an
hour he was hauled up by a bow
line into one of his enemy's ships.
When he got on board he said Il be-
lieve I have a first cousin in one of
Your ships His name is Stoddard."
Then to find him as admiral in the
ship that picked him up.
Writing from the front to friends
at Llangollen. Private $. Y. Jones OF
the Motor Transport A. =. Q. relates
a peculiar coinCidcnt concerning
himself. He was n driver Or the
Llangouen WreNhaTf motor bus
route. and enlisted soon after the
commencement of hOstiliues. In
France. strange to say, he was
drafted TO the identical chassis of the
motor ne had been driving on the
Danbigshire route, il having been
purchased. with many others, by the
government.
The manager of the road car com
pany has written TO Private Jones
stating that. if it should be possible.
they Will re-purchase the car after
the war. and place upon ii a plate
recording the circumstances related.
Pays Back Old Debt.
David Henderson. a BOWhill SOL
der. belonging TO the Black Watch,
has a remarkable story To tell of how
ne was able 10 pay back on the field
of battle the services of a man who
saved his life in this country in the
piping times of peace.
About year ago, when taking part
in a regatta at Wemyss. his boat was
capsized and he was thrown into the
water. He had been swimming to-
wards the shore for some time when
ne was picked up i'm an exhausted
condition by a passing boat belong
ing 10 Dysart.
Strange To say. after a fierce days
fighting in France. Private Hender-
son saw n wounded soldier lying in
front of the trenches. and on going
TO his assistance he was struck by
something familiar about the wound
ed man. Henderson then asked his
comrade if il was he who had saved
'-Davie" Henderson from a Watery
grave at Wemyss the previous sum-
rf
Then 7 am Private Henderson" was
the dramatic rejcinder. Henderson
hen took his VIC unded comrade 10y
the arm. and un0er a heavy fire led
him 20 a place - safety.