Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-10-12
HARVARD men IN
HAIL OF BOMBS
Show Rare Pluck When Hospital
Is Attacked by German
Airmen.
4 KILLED AND 81 WOUNDED
Major Murphy, Red Cross Commission
er, Cables Full Details Of Disss-
ter to n. p. Davlson-Show
Speed in Emergency.


washlngton.-Th manner in which
! The Harvard units base hospital In
France was attacked by German air
plane, with the result that several
Americans were killed and wounded,
was described In detail In long cable
message received here by Henry T..
| Dawson, chairman of the American
Red Cross war council. from Maj.
Grayson Nj. Murphy. Red Cross com
missioner In Europe. The message fol-
lows:
IAN American Red Cross inspector
who has just returned to headquarters
In Paris has brought from the United
States army base hospital unit of Har-
ward university. one of the many SINH
lnr institutions on the surgical supply
list OF the American Red Cross. de-
tailed narrative OF the bombing of that
hospital on the night of September
last. and OF the characteristic pluck
and promptness with which the emer-
gency was met. Five bombs were
thrown, tho explosions instantly kill
ing Lieut. william II. Fftzsimons of
tho Medical officers Reserve corps,
United States army. and three army
privates, and wounded Lieuts. Clar-
ence A. Mcclure. Thaddeus ID. Smith |
and Rea w. Whidden. o. II. c.. U. s. |
A; six privates, woman nurse and |
% patients from the British lines who |
were under treatment there for |
wounds.
Attack Occurred at Night
'srhe airplane attack occurred at II
o'clock at night. Just ut that time
fortunately no convoy OF wounded was
being received or the list OF casualties
would have been far greater. as one
OF the bombs fell into the center of
the large reception tent 10 which the
wounded are first borne for exami-
nation. Ten seconds suffered for the
dropping OF the bomb from the first
fying plane. and within less than n
minute afterward the surgeons OF the
hospital were at the tnsk OF collecting
md attending those who had been
struck down And for "a hours they
we're Mt work In the operating room.
me surgeon relieving another when
he latter. from simple exhaustion.
ould work no longer. The very next
lay, just as II nothing had happened.
hose same surgeons were called upon
o receive and care for 200 wounded
ent In from the trenches OF the Brit
sh expeditionary force.
The hospital. which is on the {
'rench coast. has 1.So0 beds. and Is I
nder canvas In quadrangle 500 feet q
quare- II IL In a district In which 9
here ARE many similar institutions. v
nd Is unmistaknble as a hospital. At o
he time the German aviator flew over n
most OF the surgical staff was en- n
aged In making rounds OF the wards.
lieutenant Fftzsimons. however was n
nnding at the door of his tent. There v
nd been a brief warning OF the pres e
ace OF n bombing airplane In the o
because n quarter of a "
mute before the sound OF exploding N
,mbs was heard from point perhaps
% yards from the hospital. This
arning sun,ced to cnuse all lights in W
4e tents to be extinguished immedi- -
ely, and those who had been under n
~ before threw themselves face down to
pom the ground It
Then came five explosions In rapid II
recession In the hospital itself. The 81
st two We're directly In front OF Lieu ia
nant Eszsimons' tent He probably tt