Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-06-02
RED CROSS DOCTORS
REFUSE TO RETREAT
American Surgeons and Nurses
Play Big Part in
Battle. =,
SERIOUS OPERATIONS VITAL
Taking OFF Ones Clothes in Bat
tie Zone Simply Isn't
Done"
SERIOUS OPERATIONS VITAL
by WILLIAM ID. HINES.

French during the early spring often
slve of the Germans on the Somme can
never te adequately 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 some idea OF
the American effort and its effective
ness in this historic battle can be
brought home to the people back home
ard then only in small way.
While 1t is perhaps only Il very small
incident in the history Of that great
fair. the story Of how a small band
OF American Red Cross workers car
Rcd on" at one of the evacuation hos
p!tals back of the British front should
make Americans proud. When all but
few of the hospital staff had left
With the 200 or more patients. and the
Germans were advancing only a few
miles away. four American army sur
Eeons. assigned to the American Red
Cross for work at this particular hos
pital. declared their intentions of
sticking till Ii froZe over" And
six Red Cross ambulance and truck
drivers. as well as several American
Red Cross nurses and aids stuck"
with them.
The Americans made their decision
not because of sheer bravado but be-
cause the hospital had the opportunity
OF Sewing few wounded soldiers from
Cay To day-and could save their lives,
And 1t this writing these Americans
are still there. giving much-needed
medical attention 10 French and Brit
'sh soldiers who are brought back to
this hospital because II is the nearest
one back of that point of the line
The big guns of the British and
French have been planted in the rear
OK it-and then moved farther back.
The Boche airmen come over at night.
The little group. guns and TRANSPORTS
go cE in streams to points in the rear,
but as long as the wounded are
brought there. these Americans will
stay.
few hours after American Red
Cross headquarters in Paris learned of
the big German offensive, it dispatched
eight trucks and motor cars to this
hospital to aid in the evacuation of the
patients Night and day the Red Cross
drivers worked bringing the wounded
from the hospital to Paris. a drive OF
upon the conEested condition of the
roads
When this had been Accomplished
'ne Hea cross cars went out into the
surrounding country to pick IN tho
"ouhueu' who were attempting TO walk
TO hospital and to aid the refureea
Struggling along the road. Besidss
transporting taese zoo or more wounded
n
cars aided 1870 refugees to the rail-.
heads in three days.
hut their work had only begun. De-
"P'te the evacuation OF the hospital
ana the consequent order for more Of
'he stan to accompany the patients
10 points OF safety. the wounded kent
coming In Ninety per cent of them
were serious cases. Practically al, do
hahoed Immediate operations. Not
simple operations. but major opas
"here t. steady nerve. delicate toucb
ana sure hand were necessary 10 civ.
the wounded the best chance for life
NiGht and day the American sur
seons worked. There were a few
nurses - assist, blu: all were tired
completely tagged. mentally and
physically. Every one needed rest
But there were the men COMING IN
every few hours, their bodies pitifu,,v
torn and suffering untold agonies. So
no one thought of stopping, and even
when one did get few hours off dutv
there were the big guns only few
huhdred feet from the hospital. Thew
oeiched and roared all night.
slept at this hospital one night
or that is. l attempted to sleep. Win
several drivers l selected bed in IN.
VI me vacant wards. a bed that had
just been emptied. We collected rs,,
blankets and tumbled in with al, or-
clothes on-taking off ones clothes in
the battle zone Isn't being done mi.
year Eou know" is the way one driver
expressed it. Every few minutes the
big guns would let go: the windows
OF the hospital. which. by the way. Is
one of the most picturesque and
prettiest chateaux in France, and Is
owned by an American woman who
married French general ratified and
banged from the conclusion. Between
the gunhre the eccentric whir, Of the
Bochc airplanes could be heard. They
were attempting to locate the battery
so as TO direct the fire of their artil-
lery So the Red Cross can't sioep---
they Just doze and rest 5S&
or 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 moro work.
They had to dig the graves and act
as pallhearers.
One night was especially hard. The
doctors were kept busy in the operat-,
Ing room until o'clock In the MORN
ing. The nurses had to have a bit OF
rest One nurse only was available.
SO again the Red Cross drivers were
called upon One became an aid 20
the operating surgeon, remaining In