American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-08-28

my ears, and the defamation which In
stantly followed shook the slanttng
sides Of the shell hole until dirt In lit
tie dusty rivulets came trickling down
upon me. Wounded as l was, | drag
ged myself up to the edge Of the hole.
There was no trace anywhere Of the
four men who had just left me. They
have never been heard Of since. Their
bodies were never found The big
shell must have fallen right among
them and simply blown them to bits.
1t was about a quarter to Z In the
morning when l was hit. | lay In the
shell hole until 2 in the afternoon, suf-
fering more from thirst and cold and
hunger than from pain. 1 only hoped
the Germans wouldn't drive our men
back over me. At 2 o'clock a batch Of
sixty prisoners came along under es-
cort. They were being taken to the
rear under fire. The artillery bonn
bardment was still practically undi-
minished. l asked for four Of the
prisoners and made one Of them get
Jul LIS AnDDtI klOhlAA chtCAB NhAAANA
around his waist. They responded
willingly and seemed most ready to
help me. | had a revolver empty and
some bombs In my pockets, but / had
no need to threaten them. They half
dragged me toward the rear.
Carried to the Rear.
1t was a trip which was not without
incident. Every now and then we
would hear the shrek Of an approach
ing coal box" and then my prisoner
stretcher bearers and l would tumble In
one indiscriminate group into the near
est shell hole. If we did that once we
did it a half dozen dimes. After each
dive the four would patiently reorgan-
tie and arrange the improvised stretch
er again, and we would proceed. Fol
lowing every tumble, however. | would
have to tighten my tourniquets, and,
despite all l could do, the hemorrhage
from my wound continued to flow so
profusely hat was beginning to feel
very dizzy and weak. On the way in
| sighted our regimental dressing sta
! AlOn anu ElEntA " NY AOdl bNaAtAo ~
carry me toward it. l couldn't talk
German. The station was In an old
| German dugout. Major Gilday was at
the door. He laughed when he saw
me with my w special ambulance
detail.
well, what do you wantT' he asked.
"Most Of ALL" | said, II think / want
a drink of rum"
He produced 1t for me instantly.
"Now," said he, my advice to you is
to keep on travelling. You've got a fine
special detail there to look after you.
Make 'em carry you to Pozieres. It's
only five miles, and you'll make it al
right. I've got this place loaded Ut
full, no stretcher bearers, no assistants
no adequate supply of bandages and
medicines and a lot of very bad cases
If you want to get out of here In 8
week just keep right on going now"
AS we continued toward the rear We
were the targets for a number Of hu
morous remarks from men coming VI
to go into the fight.
"Give my regards to Blighty, yo'
lucky beggar." was the most frequen
saying.
"BH me- said one cockney Tommy
there goes one O. tn Canadians will
an escort from the kaiser"
Another man stopped and askeC
about my wound.
Good work" he said. I'D like Il
have a nice clean one like that my
self"
l noticed one of the prisoners grin
ming at some remark and asked him
he understood English. He hadn't spo
ken to me, though he had shown tn
greatest readiness TO help me.
Certainly l understand English" h
replied, speaking the language perfect
ly. II used to be a waiter at tn
Knickerbocker hotel In New York.
That sounded like a voice from home
and ! wanted to hug him. l didn't
However, l can say for him he mus
have been a good waiter. He gave m
good service.
OF the last stages of my trip to P'
zieres l cannot tell anything, for l a
rived unconscious from loss of blooC
The last | remember was that the 70
mer waiter. evidently seeing that
was going out. asked me to direct hil
how to reach the field hospital static
at Pozieres and whom to ask for whe
he got there. l came back to col
l seriousness In a clean hospital cot til
next morning.
l realized as lay on that cot l wa
{ out of the modern hell for a time, an
my mind drifted back over the day
just passed. Wounded men, grim r
minders, were all about me, many
them worse off than l was. I had see
all kinds Of bravery-British officer
climbing calmly W. the top with