The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-06-16
LETTER FROM THE FRONT
TELLS OF THE FIGHTING AND
THE GERMAN DRIVE"
Canadians Saved the Day But Were
Wiped Out-Trains Coming Into
Paris Were Overcrowded with
Wounded-Dr. Benet Writes His
Brother About Great War
columbia Record)
Paris, May 9, Sunday.

here has been very heavy, following
the German drive on Ypres and Dun
keroue, to the north of Paris. They
made a desperate attempt to break
through the line there, and but for
the magnificent work af the Cana
dams and Scotch, would have sue
ceeded. AS it was, they gained one
mile, due chiefly to use of asphyxl-
ating bombs Chlorine and bromide
gases) against which the Canadians
were helpless. While unconscious the
Germans rushed forward and Drained
them with the butts of guns, but
were checked finally, so with no ultl-
mate gain. The losses on each side
were heavy, and the Canadians were
practically Wiped out. One of our
blesses told me "they do not run, the
Canadians" From all 1 can hear
that sums them up. They do not
run. But for that matter, the French
can show any of them how to stick.
The trains bringing wounded into
Paris were so crowded toward the
middle of the week that u ambu-
lances went direct to Dunkerque over
the road, bringing the wounded back
in relays. Young Laurence Hemen-
way, George Denny's brother-in-law,
was in the thick of 1t, with his big
Pierce-Arrow ambulance. He told
me the sight at Dunkerque was terri
BILE. He is not a doctor, or even a
medical student, but he had to give
first aid to dozens he found in the
streets. He said he was scared
stiff" of the shells at first, but after
warming up to the work, sool forcot
about them, and hardly heard the
banging and smashing.
DR. Greenough and / Communicated
one of the hospital roadster, and
with a driver went to La Chapelle t.
ward the middle of the week, to meet
one of the hospital trains. There
we found our Fords. We were very
c~ourteously received by Capt. Dur
Ter, the artillery officer detailed that
week to manage the station. He was
on furlough following two months
active service, and l noticed the Le-
gion of Honor modestly pinned in
side his breast pocket. This meant
he had run right into hell somewhere,
and got out. 1 later learned he
pulled his sergeant out of a hot spot,
after the latter was down. The
captain spoke excellent English, so
l got quite a bit of information from
him. (Meeting him or the street,
YOU couldn't have told him from
Skipper Dan Crawford, so I constant
ly expected him to call me "Geor-
gie"). The station is composed OF
a train shed, separated from the re-
ceiving rooms by a long black cur
tain. which adds a very dramatic ele-
ment. Although handling 700 to
1000 men a day (at that time) there
was absolutely no confusion-no
shouting and withal the entire beha-
vior of the place was "digniied," IT
that describes what l mean. Capt.
Durier and a French surgeon were IN
charge. and that means everything.
What they said was done, with no
hack talk. and no suggestions from
anyone. The result was, the entire
train of 600 badly wounded men
were commissioned in some four
or five hours. Such as were able to
walk stepped from the train, passed
through the black curtain, and en-
tered the receiving room. His KNAPP
sack. etc., were taken and checked.
A clerk then took his name, regl-
ment. home address, wife's name and
address, and he was passed to a little
French surgeon, who hastily eXamln
ed him, and if his wound was serious
nassed him to an excellently equipped
dressing room, where a French sur
geon and an American nurse (recog-
nized the best in the WORLDLY dressed
him. He has a card made out here
stating nature of wound and dress
ing, and he is then turned over to the
ambulance drivers of the American
hospital. the Japanese hospital OF