The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-02-23

the Italian retreat and that is t
marching into an Italian town C
The soldiers were worn a
Even the officers clothes wer
threads of their "woolies" had
hanging down over their wrists
But such spirit the men showed!
] They brought an atmosphere Of en-
couragement with them when they
first came in sight. They marched
briskly, despite bleeding feet, and
they sang, whistled, and grinned hap
4 PLY as they went along, and, of
course, it had an effect on the fright
ened women and children, who smil-
ed back through tears of fear and
fatigue.
was on feave when the retreat
began, and was very anxious to get
back to the Villa Trentino. Our hos
pital, which, by the way was the
only British Red Cross hospital in
Italy, was splendidly equipped and
nearly in the Austrian lines.
Mortified Officials
The Italion officials were simply
Mortified at my wanting to go in that
direction. If 1 would only go the 9TH
err way, the way masses of refugees
were going in disorganized crowds,
they would make everything easy for
me.
But I was determined. had all
the necessary passes and papers to
get through, but then it became a
question of getting a train, and when
that was accomplished the train de-
cided to go no further, and mad to
slip furtively into another one, be-
cause I was always afraid some very
firm official would save me in spite
of myself.
1 never did get to the hospital, but
1 met what was left Of it in a little
town, and the rest Of the journey
took with the other nurses. We did
not want to leave Italy at all, but we
were ordered away.
The whole hospital equipment is
lost, as we'll as all our personal be-
,--1gings and most of our ambulances
We all feel very sad about the men
agerie, which was the joy of the hos
pital. Gabrielle, tiny kitten, is tn,
only survivor. Vip, our faithful dos
watchman; Clarence, the duck, a gift
of a grateful patient to one of thu
nurses; the peacock, who was the
most picturesque of his kind; an(
four fat little pigs were all left. 1 an
afraid their doom was sealed any
how, as they were to serve as {
Christmas feast.
We have been expecting to move
into hospital in Gorilla. We neve,
expected to move in the opposite di
rection. There were rumors of tn
threatened advance, but we though
they would be pushed back as the,
had been before.
No one wanted to leave the hospi
tai, and the first orders were onl
that we should move further back
and the doctor found place wher
we could go.
Notice to Quit
Then came orders to leave alto
gether, and the nurses began to pic
up what might be saved of the hosp
tai equipment. While they we're IN tn
midst of that the question cam
through whether we could stay an
take more wounded, and finally a
order came to move at once; withoJ
waiting to pack, which was done.
Some of the wounded were take
to Udine in ambulances and put
charge of an Italian doctor. Six {
the nurses walked ten miles. The
started with some light baggage, bl
at last even little handbags were lie
behind, and you cannot imagine no
you hate parting with the last
your belongings. I chung to mine {
long as I could.
But that walk was in the pourir
rain, working ones way throue
crowds of human beings so dem
that sometimes one could not NOV
clambering over the bodies of dec
horses, and struggling to keep c
ones feet in the slippery rain.
1t took eight hours to get to Sc
Giovanni de Manzana, which is ordil
arily half an hours brisk walk fro
the hospital.
No one who has ever seen a ma
of refugees like that can ever forg
it. The women and children we
terrified of the Germans, not so mu,
of the Austrians. They were qui
and patient even when rumors car
that the Germans burned one villa
at once as an example of what mig
happen.
Some of the refugees had carts, b
they did not ride in them. The ca
which is the most treasured posse
sion of the Italian peasant, was
ways standing up in the cart, VIII
the entire family pushed at the bat
Clothes were tied up in gaily cole
ed handkerchiefs. Everywhere the
was color, the weather-stained ski
Of the women, the gay scarves a
handkerchiefs, and the bright froc
of the children.
By Match Light
When darkness came down
French soldiers lighted matches n
and then to help the people find tn
way, and all the time the terri
bombardment continued. The mas
of people were making for the T;
liamento bridge, for safety lay beyc
that Everyone rejoiced in the
weather, the mud, and slush becau
If it made the retreat of the peasa
more difficult, it also delayed
advance of the Germans and A
TRANS.
We were all determined to go b;
again If we can and if the hospita
to be re-equipped. You cannot nu
italian soldiers without appreciat
them. They are like brave, sim
children. I remember they alw
elighted in the pink pajamas L