Connecticut western news., 1917-08-16

my ears, and the detonation which in- stautly followed shook the slanting sides of the shell hole until dirt in It. .le dusty rivulets came trickling down upon me. Wounded as was, I 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.
 It was about quarter to in the morning when I was hit. lay in the shell hole until ? in the afternoon, suf- fering more from thirst and cold and hunger than from pain. only hoped the Germans wouldn't drive our men back over me. At o'clock a batch of sixty prisoners came along under es- cort. They were being taken to the rear under fire. The artillery bom- bardment was still practically undi- unfinished. asked for four of the prisoners and made enc of them get out his rubber ground sheet, carried around his waist They responded willingly and seemed most ready to hclp me. had revolver (emptyl and some bo.Gtsl in r2y poeEets, but l had no need to threaten them. They half dragged me toward the rear
 Carried to the Rear.
 It was trip which was not without inciGent. Every now and then we would hear the shriek of an approach ing "coal box" and then my prisoner stretcher bearers and I would tumble in one indiscriminate group into the near est shell hole. If we did that once we did it a half dozen times, After each dive the four would patiently Ieorgan- ize and arrange the improvised stretch CT again, and we would proceed. Fol- lowing every tumble, however, would have to tighten my tourniquets, and, despite all could do, the hemorrhage from my wound continued to flow so profusely that was beginning to feel very dizzy and weak. On the way in sighted our regimental dressing sta ton and signed to my four bearers to carry me toward 1t. I couldn't talk German. The station was in an old German dugout Major Gilday was at the door. He laughed when he saw ne with my own special ambulance detail
 ''Well, what do you want?" he asked.
 Most of all" said, 'I think want a drink of rum."
 IA trau 1u
 "Now," said he, my advice to you is to keep on travelling. You've got fine special detail there to look after you. Make 'em carry you to Pozieres. It's only five miles, and you'll make 1t all right. I've got this place loaded up 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 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 up to go into the fight.
 "Give my regards to Blighty, you lucky beggar," was the most frequent saying.
 "Bli' me-" said one cockney Tommy, there goes one O tn Canadians with an escort from the kaiser"
 Another man stopped and asked about my wound.
 Good work" he said. "Pd like to have a nice clean one like that my self"
 I noticed one of the prisoners grin ming at some remark and asked him if he understood English. He hadn't spo- ken to me, though he had shown the greatest readiness to help me.
 Certainly I understand English" he replied, speaking the language perfect ly. 'T used to be waiter at the Knickerbocker hotel in New York" That sounded like a voice from home, and I wanted to hug him. l didn't. However, can say for him he must have been good waiter. He gave me good service.
 Of the last stages of my trip to Pc zieres I cannot tell anything, for I ar rived unconscious from loss of blood.