Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1918-10-05


take me to the operating theater inn
mediately. Personally | didn't care
what was done with me.
In a few minutes. four orderlIes who
looked like undertakers dressed In
white, brought a stretcher to my bed
and placing me on 1t carried me out OF
the ward, across courtyard TO the
operating room or pictures" as Tom
my calls 1t.
don't remember having the anes-
thestic applied.
When came to was again lying In
a bed In Munsey ward. One of the
nurses had draped large American
flag over the head of the bed, and
clasped In my hand was smaller nag,
and 1t made me feel good all over 10
again see the "Stars and Stripes"
At that time / wondered when the
boys in the trenches would see the
emblem of the land of the free and
the home of the brave" beside them,
doing its bit in this great war of civil
lizatien.
My wounds were very painf,n, and
several times at night ] would dream
that myriads Of khaki-clothed figures
would pass my bed and each would
stop, bend over nae. and whisper, "The
best of luck, mate"
Soaked with perspfration | would
awake with cry, and the night nurse
would come over and hold my hand.
This awakening got to be habit with
me until that particular nurse was
transferred to another ward.
In three weeks time, owing to the
careful treatment received, was able
to silt up and get my bearings. Our
ward contained seventy-five patients,
90 per cent of which were surgical
cases. At the head of each bed hung
temperature chart and diagnosis
sheet. Across this sheet would be
written &c. S. W." or IS. W." the for
mer meaning gun shot wound and the
latter shell wound. The IS. W. pre-.
dominated, especially among the Royal
Field artillery and Royal engineers.
About forty different regiments were
represented, and many arguments en-
sued as to the respective fighting abil
ity Of each regiment. The rivalry was
wonderful. A Jock arguing with az
Irishman, then a strong Cockney &C
cent would butt In In favor OF Lon
don regiment. Before long Welsh
man, followed by member of York
shire regiment, and, perhaps, Cana
dian lntrude themselves and the argu
ment wakes loud and furious. TIT
patients In the beds start bowling fol-
them to settle their dispute outside
and the ward is In an uproar. Ths
head sister comes along and with
wave Of the hand completely routs thu
doughty warriors and again silence
reigns supreme.
Wednesday and Sunday Of each weel
were visiting days and were looaeS
forward to by the men, because the.
meant parcels containing fruit, sweet
or flags. When patient had regulal
visitor, he was generally kept wei
supplied with these delicacies. Grea
jealousy is shown among the men al
to their visitors and many word war
ensue after the visitors leave.
| When man Is sent to GONZALES
cent home, he generally turns over hi
steady visitor to the man In the mex
| bed.
Most visitors have autograph album
and bore Tommy to death by asking
him to write the particulars Of hi
wounding In same. Several Tommie
try to duck this unpleasant job by tell
ing the visitors that they cannot write
but this never phases the owner of tn
album; he or she, generally she, offer
to write 1t for them and Tommy II
stung into telling his experiences.
The questions asked Tommy by visl
| tors would make q clever joke bool
to a military man.
Some kindly looking old lady will
stop at your bed and in a sympathetic
voice address you: "You poor boy
wounded by those terrible Germans
You must be suffering frightful pain
A bullet, did you sayi Well, tell me
I have always wanted to know, did |
hurt worse going In or coming outT
GRO BE CoNTINUED)