The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-10
PREFERS TO FIGHT
RATHER THAN REST
American Soldier Thus Often
Is Wounded When Suppos-
edly Far to Rear.

A problem in compiling accurate cas-
ualty lists without delay. problem that
probably has not occurred to the Amer
lean people. was revealed by George W.
Titus Oh Mishawaka. Ind, on his pe-
turn from six months service with the
Y. NJ. C. A. in France. Frequently, he
said, American soldiers are killed N
action or wounded severely many days
after they were supposed to have left
the front for leave resort. Just how
this might happen he explained as fol-
lows:
"Our boys are 80 willing to give up
the rest and easy time which they have
earned by hard work in the trenches
that very often they remain Mt tho
front and go into action with relief
units, sometimes French or British
troops, days after they should have been
in n leave camp recuperating for an
other tour OF duty at the front. At
scissors l saw many wounded men come
| back to our field hospital after their
own units had retired to the rear.
whole Company Volunteers.
| ct is difficult to understand how
| this could happen unless one had seen
| how our fighting men may become sep
| arated from their units In hard battles
| They go over the top together. but after
! that anything may happen. Thus II may
| turn out that when units are withdrawn
! to make way for relief forces small
groups will have become detached from
their own companies. While waiting
around for some of their fellows the
'ure of the battle will become SO strong
| that they rush back into action with
| in'ts that they have never seen before.
Il recall particularlv one case where
It was necessary to divide company
that was scheduled for leave and detail
half of the men for reserve duty. The
I'd tie / Sc briefly and
asked for volunteers. 1t is all the more
| remarkable when you consider what
those men had survived TO know that
every man in the company volunteered
for the service that would keep him near
the front"
Titus said that the thing he would
recall most often from his experiences
in "Y" work was the impressive spirit
of the fighting men. At Cant fny. he
explained, men were coming out of ac-
ton practically shot to pieces. But as
they on their cots in the field hospital
they joked and laughed in spite of tho
pain they suffered
at one moment" he added. 80.
wounded man would groan as sudden
pain darted through his body, and the
next minute he would be laughing and
saying Cad! Did you see those Huns
rum
Walking Wounded Are MarvcIs.
THE walking wounded were always
source of wonder to me. l cannot mag
inc how some of those men managed {"
make their way back to the dressing
stations without assistance. I saw one
man with both arms dangling helpless
by his side. know that only by su-
preme nerve was he overcomin, the
pain he suffered, and I heard him tell
two stretcher bearers not to mind him
but to keep on and bring In a man
whose legs wouldn't bring him.
Titus was with a trench mortar bat
terry at CantRny in May when the bat
terry threw 776 big bombs into the viii
lage in one day. He said that these
trench mortars. which never had been
used before by the United States forces.
were most destructive and sent the
Germans on the run in such a hurry that
heavy guns which they had abandoned
were found loaded and ready to he
turned upon them when the Americans
captured the village
, He brought back a priced treasure. a
watch that was purchased in Toul by
| the men OF the battery and presented to
him with purse that contained 500.