The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1917-09-13
RED CROSS MEN WIN FAME FOR HEROISM ABROAD

were in dire straits.
Elliston volunteered for the work.
During the heaviest part of the bonn
bardment, while the enemy guns
were still showering high explosive
shells on the newly won territory, he
drove his machine over the rough,
shell-pitted ground. Instead of the
sign of the Red Cross diverting the
Bulgarian fire, it seemed rather to
attract it. Shrapnel and tear-com-
polling shells burst all around the
young American, but under the most
terrific fire he thrice made the jour
ney in safety and carried to the base
hospital every dangerously wounded
case. M
Lose SO Ambulance Chassis.
Charles NJ Ashton of Philadelphia
was on duty at relief post follow
ing up the French advance In the
Champagne and also awaiting the call
to drive his machine to the front.
The Germans were vigorously she'll
ing the entire district when a shrap-
mel shell burst within twenty feet of
the young mans ambulance. Two Of
the balls struck him, one in the alb
domen, the other in the arm, while
piece of the shell inflicted a nasty
wound on his leg. Thanks to the
prompt action of the surgeons he
will recover, but will probably be
invalided out Of the service.
Despite the loss of fifty ambulance
chassis when the steamer Orleans, the
first American ship to run the Ger
man submarine blockade, was tor
pedoed about month ago. the
American field service succeeded in
placing three new ambulance sections
in the field last week and two addi-
tional transport sections.
One of the ambulance sections, No.
80, is composed entirely of Harvard
men, with Ralph r. Richmond of
Milton, Mass, as section commander.
Transport section No. 242 has also a
number of Harvard men in it's ranks,
it's commander being Harvard boy.
Thomas 81. Dougherty Of Philadel-
phia. Transport section L is COM
handed by George G. Struby Of Den
yer, Colo, a Yale graduate, who has
already won glory and the war cross
for bravery in action, while the other
two ambulance sections, No. SO and
No. 20, are commanded by Charles
A. Butler of New York, a graduate
Of Columbia, and Arthur ]. Putnam
Of Deposit, n. Y, q Cornell man, re-
spectively.
Altogether, the field service now
has forty sections actually in service
at various parts of the French front,
of which twenty-nine are ambulance
sections, for transporting the wound
ed, and eleven transport sections, for
the handling of munitions and sup
plies. This represents a personnel of
close to $500 volunteers, for the most
part young Americans from the best
families in the United States.
American aviators flying with the
French forces came in for their share
Of mishaps during the past week.
Lawrence Scanlon of Cedarhurst, L
l., otherwise known as "Red" Scan
Ion, had one Of the narrowest escapes
on record when his machine, getting
out of control, fell from a height of
500 feet and crashed onto the roof
of an army bakery at Avord. the
French training camp for aviators;
Scanlon was making a trial flight
in q Newport and had circled around
in the most approved professional
manner, and had started to descend.
Of sudden his motor stopped. Never
before having had experience with a
"panne de motour," the young avia-
tor decided the best course was to get
to the earth with the least possible
loss of time. He aimed for the avia-
ton field, but an error in judgment
or stray gust Of wind drove him
too far, and he came down upon the
bakery roof with q force that drove
the nose of the Newport clear
through.
Unhurt, but slightly stunned, Scan
lon scrambled out Of the debris and
climbed down off the roof by means
of ladder that had been left propped
against the wall. Just as he started
off to report the captain of the camp
came rushing up, and seeing Scanlon
going away from the scene Of the &C.
cident, ordered him back to assist In
the removal Of the supposedly dead
man, or to go call doctor If 1t was
discovered he was seriously wounded.
Scanlon saluted the captain, saying:
"He's all right, captain"
GLOW do you know? Who was it
that fell?" demanded the captain.
"'Twas /, captain" replied the
young American, saluting again.
swell, you have had the most re-
markable escape I have ever wit
messed" declared the captain. "Young
man, you were never made to be in
jured by a fall from an airplane."
The speed with which it fell was
such that the nose was completely
buried inside the bakery, leaving only
six feet Of the tail protruding through
the outside of the roof.