Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1918-05-09

eral glasses of muddy water, which
they called beer. After drinking our
beer we left the estaminet and hailed
an empty ambulance.
After showing the driver our passes
we got in. The driver was going to the
part of the line where we had to re-
port.
How the wounded ever survived
ride in that ambulance was inexplica-
BILE to me. 1t was worse than riding on
a gun carriage over rock road.
The driver of the ambulance was
corporal of lie II A. M. O., and he
had the wind up" that is. he had an
aversion to being under fire.
was riding ON the seat with him
while Atwell was sitting In the apnbu-
lance, with his legs hanging out of the
back.
AS we passed through a shell-de-
stroyed village a mounted military po-S
liceman stopped us and Informed the
driver to be very careful when we got
out ON the open road, as 1t was very
dangerous, because the Germans lately
had acquired the habit of Smelling 1t.
The corporal asked the trooper If there
was any other way around, and was
informed that there was not. Upon
this he got very nervous and wanted to
turn back, bat we insisted that he pro-
coed and explained to him that he
would get into serious trouble with his
commanding officer if he returned
without orders; We wanted to ride,
not walk.
From his conversation we learned
that he had recently come from Eng
land with draft and had never been
under fire. hence his nervousness.
We convinced him that there was not
much danger, and he appeared greatly
relieved.
When we at last turned into the open
road we were not so confident. On
each side there had been a line of
trees, but now, all that was left OF
them were torn and battered stumps.
The fields on each side of the road
were dotted with recent shell holes,
and we passed several in the road IT.
self. We had gone about half mile
when shell came whistling through
+ the air and burst In a field about three
hundred yards to our right. Another
soon followed this one and bust on
the edge of the road about four hun
dred yards In front Of us.
l told the driver to throw In his
speed clutch. as we must be In sight
of the Germans. l knew the signs;
that battery was ranging for us, and
the quicker we got out of its zone OF
fire the better. The driver was trem-
bling like a leaf, and every minute
expected him to pile us up in the ditch.
/ preferred the German fire.
In the back Atwell was holding onto
the straps for dear life, and was sing
ing at the top of his voice:
We beat you at the Marine,
We beat you at the Aisne,
We gave you hell at Neuve Chapelle,
And here we are again.
Just then we hit n small shell hole
and nearly capsized. Upon a loud
veil from the rear | looked behind, and
there was Atwell sitting in the middle
of the road, shaking his fist at us. His
equipment, which he had taken off
upon getting into the ambulance, was
strung out on the ground, and his rifle
was in the ditch.
| shouted to the driver to stop, and
I'm his nervousness he put on the
brakes. We nearly pitched out head
first. But the applying of those brakes
saved our lives. The next instant
there was q binding flash and a deaf.
ening report. All that l remember is
that / was flying through the air, and
wondering if l would land in soft
spot. Then the lights went out.
When Iecame TO, Atwell was pouring
water on my head out of his bottle.
On the other side of the road the cor.
pOral was sitting, rubbing a lump on
his forehead with his left hand while
his right arm was bound up in a blood
soaked bandage He was moaning
very loudly. / had an awful headache
and the skin on the left side of my
face was full of gravel and the blood
was trickling from my nose.
But that ambulance was turned over
i'm the ditch and was perforated with
holes from fragments of the shell. One
ing, so could not have been "Out" for
a long period.
The shells were still screaming over
head, but the battery had raised its
fire and they were bursting in little
wood about half mile from us.
.-twell spoke up. 81 wish that Off.
Ger hadn't wished us the best O. luck"
Then ne commenced swearing. ]
couldn't help laughing though my
head was nigh to bursting.
Slowly rising to my feet felt myself
all over to make sure that there were
no broken bones. But outside of a few
bruises and scratches l was all right.
The corporal was still moaning, but
more from shock than pain. A she'll
splinter had gone through the flesh of
his right forearm. Atwell and |, from
our first-aid pouches, put toutniquet
on his arm to stop the bleeding and
then gathered up our equipment.