The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1917-11-29

nVe more were wounded, two OF the
big tents riddled. some small tents
blown up, big holes put in the roads
altogether it was complete job.
1T ended all usefulness Of the vii.
lage. for next day orders came to
evacuate the entire village, hospitals
depots, barracks, and all. We and the
brancardiers had tn stay on two nights
more while the hospital was taken
down and carted away. We didn't
relish these nights much.
'The first night after supper every.
body trailed out into the fields carry.
ing their blankets. Some slept under
naystacks, some in trenches, a few
went to fort nearby and slept in the
ammunition room so feet underground
BY the time the big harvest moon rose
there wasn't sign of life.
Campaign Against HospitaIs.
"The second night four of us stayed
in the tent. I let my bed down on the
ground and we built q barricade OF
timbers to keep off small eclats, then
went to bed early and got to sleep be.
fore the visitors arrived. That night
they made special visits to the two
hospitals to which we evacuated our
badly wounded Of several nights before,
and as result one Of them had to be
closed. They seem to be carrying on q
special campaign against hospitals
five in this immediate neighborhood
have been closed within q week.
I'VE drove in convoy to our new
quarters. AS convoy we are quite
imposing, first the staff car, then e
ambulances, an enormous truck with
q kitchen trailer, a cannon, camio
nette, and the French staff car. We
drove about 20 miles, almost parallel
to the front, SO that we are still about
Is kilometers from the lines, but we
are in big forest very we'll concealed.
There is no shellfire at that distance
In this sector, and the avintors have
little chance to see anything.
This aerial raiding business as.
sumes big proportions. We passed
through town on our way here where
$50 bombs had been dropped in one
night.
IF they hit on soft ground they are
comparatively harmless for they pene.
trate ten feet or more and blow out 9
hole like we'll, straight up into the
air.
'But the eclats of the bombs arr
small, rarely more than an inch or
two long, while big shell will burst
into jagged pieces two and three feet
long that will cut clean through O
house. The dope is to pick out a spot
in soft ground and get flat ON the sur
face, then only direct hit can get
you, and there isn't u chance in mil.
lion Of that.
Was Funny Sight.
Last night the mechanic, Ed An.
thOny, and l were building an abrix
in the woods, for they are always nice
to have around, when suddenly three
bombs went off just below us on the
road. At the first one Ed dropped his
pick and tore through the woods like
a startled deer, hurdling trees and div.
ing through bushes like q wild man.
There was no place to run to so ]
crawled under ledge and waited.
"A minute later three more went of,
and then heard a wild rush, and Ed
came tearing back through the woods,
all out of breath. but sprinting his
hardest. He was 30 funny that l for.
got all about the bo:nbs-he wears
mutton chop whiskers, loose knee
pants with bare legs. and he had his
tin hat crammed way down over his
ears, and the expression on his face
was that Of man who has given up
all hope, but intends to fight desper.
ately to the end.
II laughed until was weak. When
he saw me he stopped, struggled fo1
breath. swallowed a lump In his throat
and said huskily, I think they're de.
parts. don't your As matter of fact,
they were neither bombs nor departs
but some defective hand grenades that
were unsafe for shipment and were
purposely exploded by the munitions
workers.
"Glad the Italians are proving some.
thing at last. These drives will give
the German people food for thought
during the winter-about all the food
they'll get"