South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-09-23
j. :. WOUNDED
CARED FOR IN
BIC CHATEAU
American Ambulance Drivers
and AviatorS NurSed Back
to Health by Wife of
Wealthy American.
BY {. 4. BERTEILI
International News service stan
correspondents

leted upon him as guests dozen
French officers attached 10 the
stan Of Gen. Joffre. Elliott Fitch
Shepard. the American millionaire.
has established a convalescent home
for sick and wounded American
aviators and American ambulance
drivers.
Shepard has resided at Chantil-
~ since the beginning OF the war.
except during the feeting visit Of
the Germans just before the battle
Of the Marine. Then the Shepards
drove out Of Chantilly toward Paris
in their big touring car 20 minutes
before the first troop Of Uhlans can
tered into Chantilly from Senlis.
which they had just put TO the
torch.
French Headquarters.
After the battle OF the Aisne.
when warfare stagnated into in
trenched positions, Gen. Joffre Sc
lected Chantilly as the seat of his
great headquarters. The &C. @. c."
as the French abbreviate "Grande
Quarter Generate" remained at
Chaptily for more than two years.
or up 10 the time that Joffre was
made marshal and Gen. Nivelle
took his place as commander-in-
chief of the French armies in the
field
Then came the German retreat TO
the Hindenburg line and refugees
from the devastated region evacu-
dted by the Germans began 10 pour
into Creil. Senlis and Chantilly.
Shepard turned over the rooms so
recently given up by the officers at
tached 10 Gen. Joffre's staff TO the
refugees and took p under his roof
the first night Gradually the
French authorities shifted the refu-
gees to the south of France. and
theE once more the Shepard home
was emptied except for the family.
Ii was then that Mrs Eleanor
Shepard decided to open cOnva-
descent home for sick or wounded
American youths serving with the
aviation, the Red Cross or any 9TH
er branch Of service. Since she has
started her enterprise Mrs. Shepard
has had an average Of 16 Ameri-
can youths as her guests at all
times. Some have been suffering
from wounds - more and more
American ambulance drivers are
being slain and manned by shells
since their number increase with
every arriving snip. Others have
the dread malady known as shell
shock" when the nerves are literal
" set on end through being I'M
der continuous bombardment. In
most cases the illness Of the ambu-
lance drivers is traceable directly
to nervous Indigestion, caused by
the tremendous excitement under
which the boys work.
Mostly Young Boys.
For these youths. averaging from
l. TO q years. come direct from
schools and colleges and so under
FIRE in the most terrible war the
world has ever seen. with no pre-
iminary preparation. 1t is only
necessary that they be able 10 drive
motor cars. They have not the mill
itary training and drilling and in
culcation of discipline which fits the
soldier fc- the life of the trenches.
Mrs. Shepard is aided in her
work by her sister. Miss Mercedes
TerradeH. formerly of Trenton, y.
J.. who has been in France doing
war relief work for more than a
wear. She gave valuable aid 10 the
French authorities last March when
the refugees. were dumped into
Chantilly by Administering first aid
20 the tiny babies whc formed a
considerable proportion Of the mot
ley collection Of suffering human
itv that the Germans left in their
wake
Feeding the boys regular Amer
lean food, prepared the way they
have been accustomed TO having il
at home. is the principal factor in
making them well and strong
again" said Mrs Shepard. Amer
leans are not used 20 eating the
coarse brown war bread which the
French use. and they are not used
to living on soup and stew either.
After a boy leaves here. if he has
a weak stomach. 7 send him pack
ages OF food every week. / send
him wheat biscuits thai he can eat
instead OF the war bread. and rice
and preserved vegeta bles that We
put up here ourselves and occasion
ally. when there is an automobile
going up 10 the part OF the front
where they are stationed. we can
send them fresh meat and poultry"
Faces Race Course.
The Shepard chateau faces the
Chantilly race course. and just be
hind IL are the Chautilly golf links
shepard has plenty of clubs and
near all Of the convalescents learn
something about golf before they are
considered We'll enough 20 be dis
charged and go back TO their posts
AT the front.
Richard NJ. Atwater. III. Of Scars
dale the Youngest member Of the
American field service-he is just
16-has just left Chantiily 10 re-
turn 10 the front with his ambu-
lance section. James Norman Hall
OF ColfaN. Ia. attached 10 the La
fayette escadriis. who was wound
ed by machine gun bullets when
fghting German biplane near
Lens. has Just gone back 10 take
up flying again after convalescing
Of