Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-11-01
Copyright lsle-The Tribune Assn

From a closed British port to Lon
don l made a journey IN IL Red Cross
train which, with great scarlet crosses
marked on each blind compartment
carried 4 cargo of % wounded men
Ii precious cargo of war that l fad
seen transferred from the finest OF ms
majesty's hospital ships to the cots of
the ambulance train drawn up under
the roof OF the admiralty pier.
1t was through the courtesy oil the
war office that / was permitted to
board the hospital ship, to watch thu
unloading OF 1t. TO see each detail Oh
q very complex and splendid o~rganiZa-
lion, and To journey To London In one
of the white ambulance trains created
and set apart for the grave and pltiiul
these privileges.
[ nave come closer 10 the actualities
Of this war as ii stands-haNc pene-
trateu the surface of il. For these men.
who by thousands are returning to
England, bring with them, each and
all of them, the stamp OF it. 1t is IN
their eyes, the horror of it; it Is in
their words. in their gestures, the mis-
cry II the pain of it; 1T IS written IN
their faces, borne witness to 10y every
fold OF their stained and shabby gar
ments. 1t is France they are bringing
home with them, France and the mem
DRY of all the gray and wretchcd splen-
dor of war. This is in their faces; this
II courage.
AT first, when | walked down the
concrete pavement at one side of the
pier. with it's railway lines n great,
spreading gray roof, l thought that the
100 men or more whom / saw sitting
on benches In Il square, inclosed place
were but one more unit of the soldiers
which throughout England bear testi-
mony to the new army of the king. But.
as l came nearer to them-SaW them
~etft,~ - 41,~~~ 4 40, >,o rf1n "a hnp
the white coaches of the ambulance
train and on the other, anchored close
TN. the great white hospital ship with
its broad band of green-I knew these
these were Ounde men sent home
from rance. The slightly wounded
men. they call them.
These are not serious cases.. the
captain who was in charge told me.
"Shrapnel. mostly"
S%hrapneI's Toll.
l ooked at the long rows OF men In
khaki sitting on the wOOden benches,
with their coats drawn loosely over
their shoulders. with their bandaged
heads and arms n feet showing q
very clear white against the dim and
gray light of the pier. How patient
they were. and how tired they looked!
Slightly wounded; shrapnel, mostly.
One OF them with his arm bandaged
from h elbow to the wrist and sup
ported in a wide sling; n OF them
with his feet wrapped thickly in layers
Of dressings and covered over with
heavy wooden socks. one of them with
his left manu- III "A splint n his right
arm wrapped in gauze the full length OF
it: another man, leaning against the
MAI next to him, with his thin hands
folded across his knees, and his head
and his face almost covered with fold
upon fold of white linen. IN his fore
"a a little, round. dark stain WideneG
on the clean cloth. Slightly wounded,
shrapnel. mostly. Such are the terms
OF war.
Then / went with the captain. who
was also the Decentralization officer, to
stand beside the gangway n see he
stretcher bearers carrying the wounded
from the ship. 1t wa3 such Il fine.
spot.ess ship, with her broad band of
emerald like a big girdle around her.
Her great red cross ~amidships, that
clear aud gracious element of service,
proclaimed her inviolate, symboliZed
her. transfigured and illumined her;
she rested, white, splendid, immObile,
the rich sunlight streaming down on
her decks.
On the pier the orderlies were wait
ing
Ihe gangway was lowered: and sud
deny the ship. which had seemed an
empty ship. became peopled. Men in
KHAKI appeared everywhere. There
were rows OF them in the cabin doors;
they stood by the rails; they came
stumbling along the deck. two and two
together. helping each other. Their
khaki coats. shrsinken, discOlored, were
fastened about their shoulders like
capes. or with one arm thrust through
q sleeve; their white bandages were
extraordinarily immaculate in the brill
liant sunshine. q clear and cleaning
white. And all of these men were smil-
In They told me afterward, some
q. them. how they had been waiting
i.r the sight of England, and they
,a.d me about the war. ! knew then
taat / had known nothing of this war
Lefore.
hut even when / saw them. these
soldiers standing by the rails or STUN
bling across the deck. l knew that men
dill moi many times in their lives smile
~ these men were smiling.
The episode OF unloading them,
whatever It's gravity and its signifi-
cance. was reduced to the most ele-
mental and primitive terms: order
lies. coatiess, with their shirt sleeves
and the sleeves OF their undershirts
rolled ~ to their shoulders. were hur-
rying up and down the gangway help
Ing wounded men. or carrying wound
ed men, TO the benches beside the
walk. he put his arm about the shoul-
ders Of an orderly and made his way
I'm whatever fashion he could to his
bench; if he couldn't walk. he was car
ried. Upon occasion he was picked up
ind toted like q child, with his arms
htasgray service. Notwithstanding, out
behind them. and his EanGaged feet
sA4lcklnE out In either side.
SOfd6times two Of the wounded men
sSt0uld come fum1blng and staggering
Down the gangMay together. holding to