Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-12-11
A BIG STORY FROM
THE WAR FRONT At
CITY HALL, DEC. is.
Corporal Holmes Has a
Message from the
Trenches Where He
Lived For Is Months
What the Red Cross
Means to Him and to
Others "Over There"

Corporal G. Derby Hall, a Boston
man who fought for IS months in the
British army and who was twice
wounded in action and finally invaded
home. will speak at City hall Sunday
night at o'clock on War and the Red
cross" Corporal Holmes is a much
sought-after lecturer on war subjects
and is the author of stirring book, "A
Yankee in the Trenches
This lecture will be free to all and it
Will be the opening gun in the big cam
paign which begins the following day
to get 5000 members for the Red Cross
in Augusta-wkich is part of the ma
ton wide campaign to get ten million
new members in the United States by
Christmas day.
The capturing of Corporal Derby
Holmes for the Sunday night meeting
was a big coup effected by the local
campaign committee. A representatives,
Of the Augusta organization slipped
| down to Boston last week. surrounded
Corporal Holmes and hung to him until
they secured his promise to appear here
+ Sunday night. This is fortunate
stroke for Augusta 1t makes possible
as a big free attraction Sunday night
country. In other cities they will pay
81 to s. to hear him talk In Augusta
it is free to ALL thanks to the liberality
and patriotism of Corporal Holmes.
The speaker owes his debt of graft
tude to the Red Cross. Twice wound
ed, he knows what the Red Cross
means on the battle front and ne can
bring first hand information as to the
/ iN-iti Of hn OCT hin
manitarian organization.
Corporal Holmes is a fair example of
the young American who was fighting
the Huns before the United States en-
tered. Three or four years ago he was
working for the First National Bank of
3oston-the next thing he was in a
combing squad in the 22d London Bat
talon. Queens Royal West Surrey
Regiment of his majesty's imperial
army.
In Corporal Holmes book he says tf
his entry into the war: "Once on the
Somme early last spring when | had
been over the top and was being car
ried back somewhat the worse for
wear a Cockney stretcher bearer shot
this question at me,
Il sye, Yank. wot tn blazes are you
/
| there no trouble to 'omc?"
| and for the life Of me. after IA
months in the British service, couldn't
answer him on the spur Of the mo-
ment.'
Boiled down, Holmes reason for go
/ irg into the Big Fight, was that he
| thought he loved adventure-that he
wanted to see the wheels go round in
4 he hipopSt of all
| SO he went.
He shipped on horse transport: and,
on the way over was horse-b bit. tram
pied on and generally prepared for
What was to come. The first time he
tried to enlist they would not have him
( 7 he next time the sergeant in charge
| Insisted he was a Canadian and ac-
cepted him. After three months in the
big training camp at Dover, Holmes
was sent to France to be finished"
| Before he had been there long a hurry
call came for men and Holmes, il his
: raw" state was rushed to the front
and right into Il trench. There. with
the exception of raids forward and
! trips back to the hospitals, he stayed
for 16 months. Then his wounds rem
dered him Incapable of further service
Since that time he has been writing his
book and giving war lectures.
Corporal Holmes is declared to be p
# rceful speaker and he has a big story
to tell. 1t is safe prediction that
sunday night at o'clock City hall will
be crowded to its utmost capacity to
lear this Young Bostonian tell of mis-
thrilling experiences in the trenches
and over the top.
This address will make fitting begin
ring fer the big membership campaign
that opens next Monday morning. Dec
y" to secure 5000 new members at 81
each for the American Red Cross.
! The War Funds Committee. with Cav
l.. Gdnnett, chairman; and Campaign
Manager Henry f. Dunnack have been
making big progress with the organiza-
ton for this campaign. The entire city
has been divided into districts and
each district placed in charge of a
team captain. These team captains are
Organizing their teams and making
plans for a hOuse-to-h house canvass. All
torres, factories, and other commercial
and manufacturing organizations will
be handled BY special committees.
1t is going to take plenty of organiz-
ing and plenty of hard work. for il
means that 1900 separate memberships
must be secure d-and that is a consjd-
cradle number in a city of Aueusta's
/ size. However this is Just a good.
4 healthy job for Augusta, and will he
done on time as usual Maybe thew
will make it a few over 5000 and finish
it up a few days ahead OF time. Just
for good measure