Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-12-14
PEOPLE
HEAR K|LTIE'
ON RED CROSS
Work of Mercy Band Among
Soldiers in Trenches
Told By Veteran.
BIGGEST MEETING
HELD IN COUNTY

BIGGEST MEETING
HELD, IN COUNTY
:; Private c. R. Genge of the Scottish
Canadian 'Blackwatch",4 AID regiment
spoke to crowd of Eldon people last
night telling of the work of the Red
Cross among the soldiers in the
+ trenches. G. F. Spry who had charge
of the Liberty Loan campaign in the
county outside of Ottumwa, said the
meeting at Eldon was the biggest Of
any held during the various cam
paigns in the smaller towns and rural
districts.
| Accompanied by Mr.. Spry and W.
! A. Hunt Private Genge left here yes
terday afternoon and the meeting
which filed the opera house was first
! addressed by Mr.. Spry who made
number of announcements for the
Red Cross Christmas drive intro
ducing Mr.. Hunt who also made q
short talk and presented Private
Genge
SOLDIERS KNOW THE SLOGAN.
1.-The slogan. The Red Cross may
bring you back is well known to the
men in the trenches" said Private
Genge in his address at Eldon last
night. "The many things man needs
while in the hospital and also in the
trenches. which are not supplied by
the governments, can be obtained
from the Red Cross.
When a man enters the hospital,
his pay automatically stops. IT. "A man
smokes, tobacco, cigars and cigarettes
are supplied by the Red Cross. Also
writing paper. and other things that
add to the comfort of the soldier.
ON BOMBING PATROL.
Private Genge described bombing
patrol. where small detachment of,
men cross no mans land at night and.
bomb machine gun positions and dug
outs. These patrols are very danger
Gus and the men Cross the battle
ground with their faces and hands
BACKED and all marks Of identity as
to battalion and name left behind.
I'm the afternoon the commanding
officer will come through the trench.
look you straight in the eye and say
that there Is to be bombing patrol.
That is the way he gets his volun.
teers."
Private Genge then told how one'a !
comrades gather around him and
make him feel good by bidding him
goodbye. asking whether or not his
new boots can be purchased and i
the next box that reaches the trenches
from home can be divided among the
boys" Then the commanding ofacer
comes along and lauds him for his
bravery and reminds him he is dying
for his country. 1t is all very cheer
full, as you may imagine"
FIRE ON RED CROSS.
Dwelling on the work the Red Cross
is doing and the ruthlessness of the
Germans, Private Genge said:
'Tn the vicinity of Vimy Ridge, the
ground is chalk and huge red crosses
are placed in the white earth SO that
hostile airmen can see 1t Is hospital
but they drop bombs. The stretcher
bearers who use to stand fifty-ffty
chance are now fred on.
A stretcher bearer can be picked
out at quite distance as the sleeves
Of his uniform from elbow to shoulder
are white bearing red cross
ON ToRPEDoED SHIP.
Private Genge was on a hospital
ship carrying $50 wounded men from
Hayre to South Hampton when sub.
marine torpedoed the boat. The ship
according to the young. man was
marked with crosses thirty feet long,
painted on white background and
80 well lighted that it would be i'm.
possible to mistake 1t for liner.
Private Genge had just contracted
typhoid fever and was so sick that he
could not leave his bunk When the
ship was struck the lights went o.
and he described the awfulness Of
lying in HIS bunk with the boat slowly
sinking. The water was eighteen
inches in the room when small
English Red Cross worker splashed
through the darkness and carried 40
patients to the deck on his back. A
destroyer attracted by the signals
rom the hospital ship came along.
side and the men were thrown from
he hospital ship to its rescuer.
PRISONERS EXECUTED.
The fate of sixteen privates and q
sergeant captured by the Germans
rom Private Genge's battalion was
old OF. These men were lost when
he Highlanders attacked the enemy
.rench and were repulsed. A counter
attack proved a success and the
Black Watch seized the positions
which consisted Of number Of small
buildings. In the court yard, the six
cen privates were found having been
Killed by the retreating Germans, by
'eing beaten on the head. The SER
,eant was found crucif1ed to the rear
ioor of the building, bayonets being
'un through his hands and feet.
HOW FRITZ REPAYS KINDNESS.
The Kindness Of an Irish stretchsr
:arrser in bandaging a Germans
received for him a bullet. The
carrier and Private Genga
we're returning from bombing patrol
n no mans land When tho c1.ioa aR