South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-12-13
FAMOUS SURGEON
IS WAR PRISONER
Or. Edward Ryan, American
Doctor, Wounded and Cap
tured by Germans.

NEW YORK, Dec. 13.-Dr. Ed
ward Ryan. the famous American
surgeon, who since the war has been
in charge of the Serbian hospital in
Belgrade, is wounded and a prisoner
Of the Germans, according to DR.. W.
d. Sharpe of Brampton, ont. Dr.
Sharpe arrived Sunday aboard the
White star liner Cymrio
Dr. Sharpe said that when the
Germans took Belgrade they hauled
down the American flag over the
Serbian hospital and raised the Ger
man colors. remarking I'VE don't
want the American flag in Bel
grade"
After the city had been entered
by the Germans" said DR.. Sharpe.
Il sent my commissioners TO find
out what had happened to DR.. Ryan.
DIR. Ryan Prisoner.
The commissioners returned and
told me DR.. Ryan was a prisoner.
He had been wounded while going
about the city collecting injured in
his automobile. My commissioners
told me that the Austrian soldiers
tore down the American flag at the
orders Of their German commanders.
They then hoisted the German flag"
The tragic story of the serbian ma
tons retreat before the invaders
without food was told by DR.. Sharpe.
The Germans entered Belgrade
on oct. ~ he said. Three days of
terrific street fighting followed. Dur
ing this time 10000 shells were
fired by the Germans from 500 guns.
Then the exodus began.
Three Million People Leave.
Three million persons, old men,
women and children, retreated be-
fore the Serbian army. There was
absolutely no food in Serbia. There
is none now.
Il left Belgrade on the evening
Of oct. 9. The road for Is miles
outside the city was choked with
refugees. We left in a bowling rain.
1t was the most frightful scene 1
have ever witnessed. But even in
AAAAo htCH tA dAt Gil NuAAASAtLllNE lAtIt
were slight touches of humor Here
and there an aged man was drag
ging a pig along while others held
canaries in their hands or carried
a few worthless household chattels."
Regiment Wiped Out.
The story of the humiliation of a
French regiment during the trench
Ecrb 81 Aa
told by Or. Arthur II. Burling of
San Mateo, Cal, also a Cymric pas
senger. DR.. Burling was one of the
60 survivors of this engagement.
The regiment went into the fight g.
600 strong. He was severely wound
ed in the legs and shoulder during
the fight. He told the story in
graphic detail
4 was attached to a regiment Of
the foreign legion" he said. Il was
first a surgeon, but later got a COM
mission as a captain. We were sta
toned before Missey, one of the
points along the Aisne.
Il got mine during a 15-yard dash
for trench abandoned by the Ger
mans. 1t was a German trap, but
we did not know it. Our regiment
went across the south side of the
Aisne on pontoons.
Reserves Fail TO Come.
we saw a burning house and
made for it. From this point we
saw the abandoned trench 10 yards
away. We made a dash and took
possession Of il.
Then the Germans gave it to us
good. We hung on waiting for
, French reserves, but they did not
come. We were in that inferno for
three days The Germans raked UP
with an enfilading fire, but we could
not evacuate the position as that
would have been worse.
The last l knew l was being
] dragged away by Cameron High
/ lander. I woke up in a hospital at
/ Hayre."