The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1918-07-02
TREAT WOUNDED
IN Face OF FOE
Red Cross Workers Refuse to
Retreat While There Is
Work To Do.
Incident Of Early Spring Offensive o.
Huns on the somme That Should
Make Americans Proud Of
Their Men.

Washington.-The story Of the part
America and Americans played In aid
ing the British and the French during
the early spring offensive Of the Ger
mans on the Somme can lever be ade-
quately told. The whole picture Is too
big to paint on one canvas. 1t is only
by describing the work of individuals
and particular groups Of workers that
ONE idea of the American effort and
Its effectiveness In this historic battle
can be brought home to the people
way.
While 1t Is perhaps only a very
small incident In the history Of that
great affair, the story of how a small
band Of American Red Cross workers
carried on" at one of the evacuation
hospitals back Of the British front
should make Americans proud. When
all but a few of the hospital staff had
left with the two hundred Dr. more
patients and the Germans were adj
vancing only a few miles away, four
American army surgeons, assigned to
the American Red Cross for work at
this particular hospital. declared their
intention of sticking till h frOze
over" And six Red Cross ambulance
and truck drivers, as well as several
American Red Cross nurses and aides
''stuek" with them.
The Americans made their decision
not because of sheer bravado. but be-
auu Tho AnCD{No1 had @ha RnDnrkrx
nifty of serving a few wounded SOL
diers from day to day-and could save
their lives. And at this writing these
Americans are still there. giving much
needed medical attention to French
and British soldiers who are brought
back to this hospital because 1t Il
the nearest one back Of that point o
the line.
Stay on the Job.
The big guns Of the British ant
French have been planted In the real
Of it-and then moved farther back
The Boche airmen come over at night
The little group of Americans hav'
cen the troops, guns and transports
20 by In streams to points In the rear
but as long as the wounded ar,
brought there. these Americans will
stay.
A few hours after American Rec
Cross headquarters In Paris learned
OF the big German offensive. 1t dis
patched eight trucks and motor car.
TO this hospital to aid In the evacua'
ton of the patients. Night and day
the Red Cross drivers worked bring
Ing the wounded from the hospital t.
Paris
the Red Cross cars went out into the
surrounding country to pick up the
wounded, who were attempting Il
walk to q hospital, and to aid tbs
refugees struggling along the road
Besides transporting these two hun
dred or more wounded men to place.
OF safety. the Red Cross cars aided
1S0 refugees to the railroads in tire,
days.
But their work had only begun
Despite the evacuation Of the hospita
and the consequent order for more o.
the stan to accompany the patients t.
points of safety, the wounded KEEP
coming In. Ninety per cent Of then
were serious cases. Practically al
demanded immediate operations. No
simple operations. but major ones
where a steady nerve, delicate toucl
and sure hand were necessary to Civ
the wounded the best chance for life
Work Night and Day.
Night and day the American sur
geons worked. There were a few
nurses to assist, but all were tired
completely tagged. mentally and
physically. Every n needed rest
But there were the men coming In
every few hours. their bodies pitifully
torn, and suffering untold agonles. So
no n thought Of stopping. and even
when one did get a few hours OF duty
there were the big guns only a few
hundred feet from the hospital. They
belched and roared all night.
OF course, some of the cases were
hopeless and no amount OF surgical
skill or medical attention could save
them. Here again the American Red
Cross men came In for more work.
They had to dig the graves and act as
pallbearers.
One night was especially hard. The
doctors were kept busy In the oper.
ating room until three o'clock in the
morning. The nurses had to have a
bit Of rest. One nurse only was avail.
able. SO again the Red Cross drivers
were called upon. One became an aid
10 the operating surgeon. remaining
In service until the last wounded man
was rolled finally into his bed.