The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-08-23
Twenty Nurses, One a Woman,
Also Slain by Aifmen.
Many German Wounded In
Hospital They Attacked.
U. S. AIRMEN IN THICK OF IT
Lafayette Squadron in Worlds
Fiercest Air Battle.
Indignation Over Use by Ger
mans of Explosive Bullets.

On the French Front, Aug. %. (By
the Associated Press)-The incendi-
airy bombs which were dropped by
two German aviators on two hospi-
tails behind Verdun on Sunday even
ing killed ten wounded men, one wo-
man nurse and 10 trained male nurses.
They wounded 40 male nurses and in
flicted further injuries On patients
suffering from wounds received IN
battle many of whom rushed naked
into nearby fields in an attempt to
find shelter from the bombs which
were being rained down.
Meanwhile the German aviators
circled about in the air, for half an
hour, firing their machine guns at
hospital orderlies who were endeav-
oring to eXtinguish the flames. The
nurses had just finished bandaging
brought direct from the battlefield
and had gone o.bed. when the bombs
were dropped from a height of only
500 yards. The Red Cross signs were
painted prominently on roofs and the
Germans knew of the hospital which
had been in existence for more than
year.
Glad to Be Prisoners.
The correspondent after inspecting
the hospital visited a CAM at which
German prisoners are assembled. 1t
contained considerably more than
5000 officers and men. The cores
pondent was permitted to :nterrogate
large nummber of the prisoners,
many of whom are Is or 10 years old.
They all declared themselves content
ed at being out of the war. On the
way other smaller camps. containing
hundreds of prisoners were passed.
Is Worlds Greatest Air Fight.
With the Lafayette Squadron in
France. Aug. 23.-As the land fighting
today in the western front is he
greatest of all battles on the earth.
so are massed aerial fighting forces
on both sides fighting the greatest of
al battles of the skies
| In the thick of it is the Lafayette
squadron of American filters. They
are around Verdun. Here at their
| headquarters today, it was declared
| the squadron had never before exper-
fenced such fierce fighting or flying.
| German aviators around Verdun are
thick and vigorously aggressive. Ger
many has concentrated an unpreced-
| ented number of anti-aircraft guns.
Her gunners are infinitely more ac-
I curate than ever before.
Americans Win Medals.
Nevertheless the LaFayetters are
! daily gaining new honors and making
new scores. The flyers make sewers I
dun front and likewise participate in
! bombing raids far behind the German
| lines. The American planes have been
re-equipped with bomb droppers for
| big missives and they carry, in addi-
=, ton, a quantity of small bombs for
| hand throwing.
Flyers today expressed the utmost
| indignation against the German air
| mems newest atrocity-using ex-
| clusively in their machine guns ex-
| plosive and incendiary bullets
| Corporal Stephen Bigelow of Eos
ton, was recently slightly wounded by
one OF these explosive bullets during
a raid far to the rear of the enemy
| lines.
| Sergeant Andrew G.. Campbell of
Chicago and Sergeant J. p. Doolitte or
| New York have both been awarded
the French war cross for bravery.
| Corporal William f. Dugan of South
| Orange, n. 81, has been granted
three weeks leave for visit to the
| United States.