The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1916-08-25
HOW AMERICAN
YOUTH GOT THE
FRENCH medal
Wounded Driving Ambulance He
Is Given Highest Military
Honor.
ARE DOING A GREAT WORK
American Ambulance Drivers Remark
aoie Experiences Shown in Extracts
From Letters u Friends and
Relatives in 7 his Country.

New York.-About $50 young Amer.
leans are engaged in driving in the
/ different services OF the American Am
bulance hospital in Paris. Some idea
of the great work they are performing
is contained in extracts from letters
sent to relatives and friends in this
country. The latest of these commu-
nicutions is from William NJ. Burber;
twenty-one-year-old son Of J. A. Bar
ber, lawyer of Toledo, and One-time
judge in the Ohio courts.
Young Barber is now recovering
from a serious wound received in the
performance Of his duty at Verdun.
where he displayed such exceptional
bravery that he was decorated by the
French authorities with the Medaille
Militaire, the highest medal for mill
tary valOr in France.
Young Barber started from this port
on May and was wounded on June
2G. His captain, Lowering Hill, in re-
porting his case to the Ambulance hos
pital, sNid the boy was driving his am
bulance with three wounded soldiers
ut midnight along one Of the most
dangerous roads at Verdun. He was
forced to stop by shells bursting
ahead Of him. During lull in the
firing he started again, when a shell
burst few yards away. Many small
fragments struck him, one penetrating
lung and another his side. Not
withstanding his wounds he went on
until he fell, showing, as his captain
said. the most splendid pluck, doing
dangerous work with enthusiasm and
cOOlness. Recovering from the eff
fects Of his wounds, Mr.. Barber wrote
from his cot in the American Ambu-
lance hospital the following letter on
June 80 10 his parents:
Tore Side and Legs. =.
Dear Folks at Home, Abroad and
Grandma:
-Four nights ago had pretty mar
row escape. ] can mention no names
here, but this is the giSt of the story:
II was driving my car, with three
wounded soldiers In it, along a road
that was being shelled. Wen, got in
the midst Of pretty hot shower, so | |
stopped my car and got under it. a
few minutes later | supposed it was
blowing over, so ! got out. had no |
sooner got out when | heard one OF |
those big obuSes coming, the loudest | |
had ever heard. / ran to the front of |
my car, crouching down in front Of
the radiator. When it burst it struck
my car,
'T was only hurt little. | was not
in any way. 1t tore my side
and legs Il little.
"The French treated me wonder
fully. l succeeded in getting the next
American ambulance driven by Wheel
or Ca great boy), who took me to the
city of --, where our post is. Here
was given first aid, and the medical
chief personally conducted me in an
American ambulance, in the middle Of
he night to very good hospital. They
say | have the best doctor in France
in Paris.
"Well, woke up the next day In
BED, and have been recuperating ever
since. Everyone is wonderful to me.
General Petain, second to Joffre,
las stopped in to shake haLds
With me, and many are my con
too, for, above my
)ed hangs the Medaille Militaire, the
greatest honor the French can give
lnyone Really, am proud although
don't deserve 1t any more than the
est. Please excuse my egotism.
Just as Good as New.
"In three or four days go to the