The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-04-04

! during the whole ride which lasted
! three hours. She was holding my
/ wrist | thought had made Il hit, and
tried to tell her how l got wounded,
! but she would put her finger to Ter lips
/ and say, "Ics, l know, but you muslin t
! talk now. try to 60 to sleep, IL IL do you
! good, doctors orders" Later on |
! learned that she Was taking my pulse
! every few minutes, us l was very weak
! from the loss of blood and they cN-
| pectcd me to snuff it, but | didn't.
! From the train we Went into ambu-
| lances for a short ride to the hospital
! ship Panama. Another palace and more
| angels. | don't remember the trip
| across the channel.
| l opened my eyes; | was being car
| ried on a Stretcher through lanes of
/ people, some cheering, some waving
! flags, and others crying. The flags We're
| Union Jacks. | waS in southampton.
! Blighty ut last. My stretcher was
| Strewn with flowers, cigarettes, and
| chocolates. Tears started to run down
my check from my good eye. | like a
| BOBBY was crying. Can you beat it?-
Then into another hospital train, a
! live-hour ride 10 Paignton, another am
| bulance ride, and then l was carried
| into MunS2y ward of the American
| Women's War hospital and put into a
real bed.
This real bed was too much for my
unstrung nerves and l tainted.
When l came to, pretty Red Cross
nurse was bending over me, bathing
my forehead with cold water, then she
left and the ward orderly placed a
screen around my bed, and gave me a
! much-necded bath and clean pajamas.
! Then the screen was removed and a
| howl OF ste#ming soup was given ME.
| 1t tasted delicious.
Before finishing my soup the nurse
came back 10 ask me my name and
| number She put this information down
IL little book and then asked:
"Whcre do you come fromi" I an
c"ereG:
From the big town behind the
Statue of Liberty" upon hearing this
Sjit Sidii jumping up anu u'"A',
clapping her hands. and calling out to
| three nurses across the ward:
Come here, girls-at last we have
got q real live Yankee with US"
They came over and besieged me
with questions, until the doctor ar
rived. Upon learning that l was an
American he almost crushed my hand
N his grip of welcome. They also
were Americans, and were glad to sec
ME.
The doctor very tenderly removed
my bandageS and told me, after view
ing my wounds, that he would have 10
take me to the operating theater i'm
nnediately. Personally l didn't care
what was done with me.
In few minutes, four orderltes who
looked like underwriters dressed IN
white, brought a stretcher to my bed
end placing me on it carried me out ri
the ward, across courtyard to the
operating room or pictures" as Tom
my ca 5 it.
l don't remember having the anes-
thestic applied.
When l came to l was again lying in
q bed in Munsey ward. One of the
nurses had draped a large American
flag over the head of the bed, and
clasped in my hand was smaller flag,
and it made me feel good all over 20
again see the "Stars and Stripes"
At that time I wondered when the
boys In the trenches would see the
emblem of the "land of the free and
the nome OF the brave Desfde them,
doing its bit in this great war Of civil
lization.
NV wounds were very painful, and
several times at night l would dream
that myriads of khaki-clothed figures
would pass my bed and each would
stop, bend over me, and whisper, The
best of luck, mate"
Soaked with perSpiratiOn l would
awake with a 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 sit up and get my bearings. Our
ward contained seventy-fve 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 sc. S. W." or IS. W." the for
mer meaning gun shot wound and the
latter shell wound. The rs. 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 an
Irishman, then a strong Cockney ac-
| cent would butt in in favor of Lon
| don regiment. Before long a Welsh
| man, followed by q member of York
shire regiment. and, perhaps, Cana,
| dian intrude themselves and the argu-
| ment wakes loud and furious. The
! patients in the beds start bowling for
| them to settle their dispute outside
and the ward is in an uproar. The
! head sister comes along and with a
wave of the hand completely routs the
doughty warriors and again silence
| reigns supreme.
Wednesday and Sunday of each week
We're visiting days and were looked
forward to by the men, because they
meant parcels containing fruit, sweets
or Tags. When patient had regular
visitor he was generally kept well
supplied with these delicacies. Great
| jealousy is shown among the men as
TO their visitors and many word wars
ensue after the visitors leave.
When a man is sent to q GONZALES
| cent home. he generally turns over his
steady visitor to the man in the next
bed.
Most visitors have autograph albums
and bore Tommy to death by asking
him to write the particulars of his
wOunding in same. Several Tommies
20 ;,,I,l an