The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-01
U. S. TRUCK DRIVER
REDUCES PRUSSIAN
Makes a Private of Captain
Who Refused to Ride
With Men.
CUTS OFF HIS STRAPS
Officer Wanted Wounded
"American Swine" Ousted
From Seat for Him.

CAMP DIX. wRIoHrsrowN. ~ j., Aug.
31.---A Yankee truck driver on the Cha
teau Thierry front found an especially
effective method for taking the conceit
out Of an arrogant Prussian officer who
was his prisoner, according to American
officers of that particular motor train
who have arrived here as training camp
instructors.
After depositing supplies and ammu-
milton at the front the big army trucks
were filled with German prisoners who
were to be taken to the rear German
Captain, member OF famous Prussian
regiment, was among the detail OF pris-
oners assigned to ride In the truck OF
which this particular driver had charge
The Boches had fiffed the body of the
car when the driver noticed that the
Captain had not Joined them.
"Climb in there !" he ordered.
Look at my uniform Don't you rec
ognize that I'm a Captain? You don't
expect me to ride with them?' he said
in perfect English. indicating his erst-
while soldiers as II they were so many
Gagged dogs. Then ne demanded place
on the drivers seat, where there were
already two slightly wounded American
soldiers waiting to get back to dressing
stations.
Nothing doing! I'm particular about
my company, Get in with your gang
and be quick about 1t :" said the Yankee
The "American swine" Remain.
Throw off those American swine and
make room for me on that front seat!'
ordered the Prussian. I'm Captain
and"
He got no further. The driver slid a
erimy fst into his pocket and whipped
out a big penknife. while the other hand
shot down, gripped the Prussian by the
collar and a powerful arm jerked him
from the ground as II he had been a
child.
Captain. Ell? Well, we won't let that
worry you long See here" And as he
spoke the hand with the knife deity
clipped the insignia from the officers
shoulders
You're busted =" he said. You're
private now. Get back in the ranks
with the rest OF them And he dropped
the sputtering Prussian into the back OF
the truck among the other prisoners.
Veterans of the five days battle at
Chateau Therry when the American di-
visions checked the drive for Paris and
| opened the great allied counter offensive
German soil compose the majority OF
| the new overseas details arriving at
! Camp Dix this week to become special
| instructors in battle front tactics. Many
| Of them have come TO America direct
| from convalescent wards OF hospitals
| and some are wearing as many as three
and four wound chevrons. but onicers
and mon ICONS alike. they are eager TO
| get back to France and help finish the
! Job This spirit. communicated 10 the
+, new divisions they will instruct un-
| doubtediy will add much to the speed
and efficiency Of the training here.
"Once our boys got into action II was
| hard 10 hold them back" said prom!-
nent officer with the detachment. rhey
wanted TO get at the Germans, ana sew
eral brave fellows sacrificed their own
lives by their efforts to pass through our
own barrage and reach the enemy we
heard from other parts OF the sector tha'
| Americans everywhere showed the same
| ardor for action"
| So,,a of the OFFICERS come from a divi-
| sion that through all the five days Tight
ing. from July Is to %, never had a
man taken prisoner although more than
a fifth OF the division personnel appeared
on the casualty lists. Some OF its resi-
ments we're almost cut TO pieces, ana one
infantry regiment came out OF the GU
max Of the battle commanded ny lu'
Nor Captain, every senior field oHlce'
having been killed or woundeo' bu
,hev stood the shock of Hun attacks and
turned back the gray flood that had
hoped to overflow upon Paris
Nm winners From the Wounded
ct talked 10 hundreds of wounded mer
In my organization after the battle ano
7 have vet TO hear the hrst wnifnpei
fron, any one of them" said Lieuten
ant Colonel with the detachment MANY
of the wounded men wanted 10 kno"
how long II would take to get them II
shane so they could rejoin their com
mands. | want to say right here ina
.he sounded men are getting the best o
care or the wounded ! should sa.
mai SO per cent soon will be back II
service , o
while they have figured little or no.
.t ALI in the press dispatches OF the bat
lie the division trains played an lnpor
tant and heroic part In the stenmlhg o
the Hun tide, according TO the onlcer'
arriving here. Several truck drivers ah'
mechanics we're decorated in the ne'o lo'
their bravery under FIRE.
one officer tells of how the truck driv
ars ~ his train, instead OF leaving at tn
reeimental dumps ammunition and sup
: niles they were bringing In from mi
rail heads, rushed their loads right vi
70 the front when they found the lint
, was advancing Their speed in gettlns
+. through the supplies and ammunition
: contributed largely to the ability OF IN
fighting units to stick II out Tor grea
{ victory against the pick OF German
troops. There were many places IN IN
: front line that were safer than sea
on an army truck during that battle
8 said this officer. He added;
when ambulances could not begin 4
: handle the wounded the motor train
= we're asked for details. Sixty driver
+ took their trucks right out in that mel
: OF gas and shell Are and helped to rusl
: great numbers to the dressing stations
, Their work undoubtedly saved the live
!, OF hundreds Of wounded men who other
wise would have persisted"
War Gardens for All Camps.
o The success which has attended tn
" camp war garden project tried out her
: | this summer through cooperation OF III
/ National War Garden Commission wit
/ military authorities probably will resul
: in the adoption OF the plan at all arm
cantonments next year, in the opinion c
n officers here. At the same time, tn
= granting of permission to soldiers phys
cally untitled for overseas service to al
in harvesting important food crop
where there is a labor shortage probabl
| will be advocated. and indeed may b
adopted this year at Camp Dix to over
come the lack az help that in severs
!. | parts OF New Jersey threatens loss c
x the potato and corn crops
e During his recent visit to the cam
Assistant Secretary Of War Keppel too