The Detroit times., 1917-07-24
WOUNDED
ATHLETES
BACK HOME
Walter Allen Returns
From the Trenches
In France
SAYS SOLDIERS
ARE FATALISTS
Don't Permit Minds To
Dwell On Death AS
They Fight

III you can imagine IL cont 4AAbAS
thunderstorm, with ineessant light
ming flashes and constant crashes Of
thunder, with raindrops OF fire fall
ing all around, you have some idea
of life in the trenches OF France.
This statement was made by Wal
ter Allen. No. I54 Gladstone-aye..
who was a student in Central high
school and a prominent athlete there
and In the ID. u. s. for many years.
and who enlisted in the American
Legion a little over a year ago. Al
len was wounded at Ypres in July.
1915. and has returned 10 Detroit
after being discharged.
ut was Just a month after we
left America" said Allen. that we
were in the trenches. They kept us
In England but 10 days. and when
we reached France they shot US
right into the trenches. | never saw
the ground where we fought. They
took us under cover OF artillery fire
into the trenches at night, and since
there was no perlscope in our part
OF the line, | never saw No Mans
Land
''It was 101 the night OF July 3,
1916. when we were ordered for
ward. | was first lieutenant OF our
company. and since the officers are
the first TO advance, | was on top
OF the trench at the command.
had just time 10 blow my whistle
and wave my arm for the charge
when a grenade burst beside me. !
was hit in the arm and leg by dying
pieces, rolled back into the trench
and awoke in base hospital far
In the rear.
There were tust 30 OF our com
pany OF 200 men in the American
Legion who survived that charge al
Ypres. and they. like myself, were
wounded. We were in the Ninety
seventh battalion and were attached
TO the Fifth Royal Mounted rifles.
"The only submarines ! saw were
captured ones at Portsmouth. Eng
land. They are chained in there
and there are far more than ever
the reports show have been taken.
On the way over from Canada, we
were conveyed by 10 battleships
with more torpedo boat destroyers
on the outside. In the daytime, the
conveying vessels sailed far away
from the transports. and We were
going forth in a circle OF smoke. AZ
night they came in close and kept
the water about the ships white
with their searchlights. ! didn't see
a German ship on the way over.
There are many men in England
hanging around the docks. II did
not seem as tho they had sent many
men 10 France, and the streets were
crowded as much as they could have
been in times OF peace. But in
Franco things were different. There
are not many men left. All seem 10
be fighting.
zone cannot say too much about
the spirit OF the French. ] saw men
who looked as tho they must have
been bank presidents marching be-
side common laborers. And all were
our friends. No man can ever say
the French fight for anything but
patriotism, and our entire battalion
loved them.
mo, a map does not get afraid
in the trenches. You do not have
time TO get scared of anything. We
were under fire all the time we Were
In the trenches and yet ! do not re
member having any fear. Things 70
on mechanically and the men. be
coming fatalists, do not let them
selves think of the possible conse
quences.
when will II all be over? The
men in France are optimistic. They
look for the end very soon. And
the German prisoners saw were
downcast and seemingly hopelessl,
beaten. But waiting too long oyel
here may cost us dearly.
81 will admit that ] am not anxi
ous TO get back into the trenches
I have seen the darker side OF wal
and ~ is not a pleasing sight. Blu
I am going back 10 France wher
the war is over. | want 10 see more
of the French people. They treated
us IN a most wonderful way. and
have nothing but the greatest 70
spect and love for them. That Il
the one good thing the war aid fol
met made me appreciate tn'
French. their spirit and their deyo
ton 10 their country"