Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1918-11-28
Yank Soldiers Anxious to Be in
Thick of 1t.
CASUALTY LISTS DELAYED
Our Boys Are Willing to Give Up
WeII-Earned Rest and Go Into Ac-
ton With Relief Units, Sometimes
French or British T~roops-Wounded
Men Josh and Laugh in Spite of the
Pain They Suffer.

A problem in compiling accurate
casualty lists without delay, a problem
that probably has not occurred to the
American people, was revealed by
George w. Titus of Mishawaka, Ind,
on his return from six months serv-
ice with the Y. M. G. A. in France.
Frequently, he said, American soldiers
are killed in action or wounded Sc
verely many days after they were.
supposed to have left the front for
a leave resort. Just how this might
happen, he explained as follows:
Our boys are so willing to give up
the rest and easy time which they
have earned by hard work in the
trenches that very often they remain
at the front and go into action with
relief units, sometimes French or Brit
lsh troops, days after they should
have been in a leave camp recuper-
ating for another tour of duty at the
front. At scissors I saw many wound
ed men come back to our field hospital
after their own units had retired to
the ear.
Separated From Units.
ut is difficult to understand whv
this could happen unless n had seen
how fighting men may become separat-
ed from their units in hard battles.
1hey go over the top together but
after that anything may happen. Thus
1T may turn out that when units are
Withdrawn to make way for relief
forces, small groups will become de-
tached from their own companies.
While waiting around for some of
their fellows the lure of the battle
Will become so strong that they rush
back into action with units that they
have never seen before.
Il recall particularly one case where
it was necessary to divide a company
that was scheduled for leave and de-
tail half of the men for reserve DUTY.
The captain stated the case briefly and
asked for volunteers. 1t is all,,the
more remarkable when you consider
what those men had survived to know
that every man in the company volun-
teered for the service that would Keep
him near the 'front.' ~ 34aj s54.s3sn
Titus said that the thing he would
recall most often from his store of
experiences in "Y" work was the i'm
pressive spirit of the fighting men. At
Cantigny, he explained, men were COM
ing out of action practically shot to
pieces. But as they lay on their cots
in the field hospital they joshed and
laughed in spite of the pain they suf-
fered.
AT Il moment" he added, ga
wounded man would groan as a sud
den pain darted through his body, and
the next minute he would be laugh
ing and saying: Cad, did you see
those Huns run!
Source of Wonder.
1.-THE walking wounded were always
q source of wonder to me. 1 cannot
imagine how some Of those men man
aged to make their way back to the
dressing stations without assistance.
l saw n man with both arms dan
Cling helpless by his side-I know that
only by supreme nerve was he over
coming the pain he sutherland I
heard him tell two .stretcher bearers.
not to mind him but to keep on and
bring in a man whose legs wouldn't
bring him. $50 y
Titus was with a trench, mortar bat
terry at Cantigny in May when the bat
terry threw TIC big bombs into the
village in n day. He said that these
trench mortars, which never had been
used before by the United States
forces, were most destructive and sent
the Germans on the run In such q
hurry that heavy guns which they had
abandoned were found loaded and
ready to be turned upon them when
the Americans captured the village.
He brought back a priced treasure,
d watch that was purchased in Toul
I:hy 5the mon Of fho battery and nro.