The Washington herald., 1915-08-15
VINCENT ASTOR'S
TUTOR in TRENCH
Joseph Whitney Ganson, Of
Harvard, Disabled and
Honorably Discharged. i
STOPPING AT WILLARD.
Member of French Foreign Legion
Tells Of Adventures on Firing Line.
Hit by Shrapnel.

Six months in the trenches on the FIR
ing ine-with the French foreign legion
furnished a wealth of adventure for
Joseph Whitney Ganson, graduate Of
Harvard and tutor to the children of the
Astors. Harrimans, Vanderbilts and other
millionaires. Ganson is stopping at the
New Willard, having just returned to
America. ~.
Mr. Ganson had his left thigh torn by
shrapnel while fighting in the trenches
near Craonne, France, but was not seri-
ously injured. But the strain Of the SOL
dier's life gradually told upon his
physique and after six months Of fight
ing he was honorably discharged because
of sickness and general breakdown.
The foreign legion stormed and took
the little village of Craonelle, which had
been held by the Germans. The night OF
the victory Mr.. Ganson Joined a party
of fourteen soldiers on an inspection OF
the towns choicest wine cellars. While
in one well-stocked cellar sampling wares
German shell struck the house, de-
molishing 1t and imprisonins the party
in the little chamber. For two days the
soldiers were in the wine cellar with
nothing to eat. Eventually they sue
ceeded in mining their way out
Americans in Legion.
1t was the Second Regiment in which
Mr. Ganson enlisted. There were about
thirty Americans in the legion. eleven
of whom were university men. Four
were from Harvard, one from Columbia.
one from West Point, one from Cornell
and the others from educational institu-
tons scattered over the country. There
were two American university men from
Michigan in the legion. They had left
for Europe with the intention of joining
the Teutonic forces, but being unable to
reach Germany they cast their lot with
the French.
watering the trenches" is the
term used by the soldiers to denote the
method of sweeping shell and shrap-
mel fire slowly along the enemy's line
from one end to the other. Mr.. Gan
son was "watered" more than once.
It was four days in the trenches and
then four days off. After the soldiers
had been on duty for long stretch
they would be sent back a short dis
lance to the Village de repose." or in
English. the resting village"
And a HI of a rest it was, says
Mr.. Ganson. 81 was so busy ducking
shells that 1 didn't see exactly where
the rest came in"
The Germans are wonderful shots
and the EnglisSmen are jolly. brave
soldiers, in the eyes Of Mr.. Ganson
There was a little slit in his trench
and the Germans fired plumb through
it three times in succession without
disturbing the barricade bit. And
three times a certain Englishman went
back TO the slit to fire through it at
the Germans. He wasn't hit. but the
each time blew him out of
the trench.
A sentinel standing near Mr.. Ganson
was shot in the left hand. 1t was
chance shot. all though. They did not
pay much attention to seeking shelter.
4 minute or two later another senti-
mel standing exactly where the FIRST
one had been was shot in the left
hand. too.
The Germans know how to hit
twice in the same place" says Mr. |
Ganson.
"BiIIy" Thaw at Front.
A Spanish member of the legion was
killed They buried him on a starlit
night in a trench dug with their bayonets
and with the singing of bullets and the
shrieking of shells for a funeral dirge. |
There were men of many tongues in the
legion, and they said prayers over their
Spanish comrade in English, Latin, SPAN |
ish, French and many another language /,
Billy Thaw made his appearance
while the legion was in Southern France
He is a relative of Harry X Thaw, the
murderer of Stanford White. and boosted
that he had been disinherited four times
before reaching the age OF Il. He joined
the aviation corps.
Cabbage soup, beef stew, bean soup, |
hard bread, coffee, and a pint of wine a
day was the bill of fare Of the legion. 1t
was cold in the trenches during the VIM
ter months. November was the coolest
Of all 1t was against orders to build
ires in the trenches for fear of drawing