The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-05-09

eleventh victim OF yesterday
trench explosion died this morning.
He was Private Alfred J. Woodle
OF Abilene, Texas, OF headquarters
company, l42nd infantry.
Fort Worth, Texas, May 9-Of-
6cers from division headquarters at
Camp Bowie began an investiga-
tion this morning OF the explosion
OF a trench mortar yesterday after
noon, which killed lieutenant and
nine enlisted men. Six others were
wounded. The tenth victim, Pri-
yate II. l.. Davidson OF Fort Worth,
died today.
Whether the shell was over
size, whether the gun was jammed
with another shell, or whether there
was faulty construction somewhere,
will be developed by this inquiry.
The English instructors at the
camp were mystihed by the eXplo-
sion and say they never heard OF a
similar one.
About 100 shells had been fired
from the gen when the explosion
occurred Men as far away as 50
yards in the trench were moved
down.
The tenth victim, Private David
son, was a nephew OF Business
Manager Benners OF the Dallas
News.
About 100 rounds had been fired
when a shell placed in ,he gun eX-
ploded at the base Of the gun. The
gun had been working well and
there was no warning before the eX-
plosion. The gun was torn TO
pieces and the ground around was
literally soaked with the blood OF
the victims.
List of Dead.
The dead are:
FIRST LIEUT.. ALAN !. Nc
DAVID. headquarters company
l42nd infantry, home Overton,
Texas.
SERGT. LOUIS A. HALPHEN,
headquarters company, l4lst intan-
try, Austin, Texas.
CORPL. WHARTON JONES,
headquarters company l4lst intan-
try. San Marcos. Texas.
CORPL. WILLIAM p P.APPLEG,
l4lst infantry, Elena, Texas.
PRIVATE MORGAN c. SAN
DERS, headquarters company,
l42nd infantry, Abilene, Texas.
PRIVATE EUCLID SIMMONS,
X company, l+2nd infantry, Henry
eta, Texas.
PRIVATE JOHN WEBER,
headquarters company, l4lst infan-
try, Memphis, Texas.
PRIVATE LACY X. LANG
LEY, headquarters company, l+lst
infantry, Waseler. Texas.
PRIVATE DAVIDSON, l4lst
infantry, Dallas, Texas.
Gen. Greble in Narrow Escape.
Mai. Gen. F. St. John Greble,
commanding Camp Bowie; Brig.
Gen. Hutchings and other officers
from divisional headquarters, were
watching the practice.
General Greble and his aides, Cap
tain Houghton and Lieutenant Rus
sell, were standing ten yards from
the mortar when the explosion oc-
Cured. General Greble was saved
from injury by the presence OF mind
of Lieut.. Russell.
Capt. William B. Pinney of divi-
sional headquarters staff was
wounded slightly.
One gun crew, comprised OF mem
bers of the headquarters company
of the l4lst infantry, was entirely
wiped out. and a second crew from
headquarters company of the l42nd
infantry suffered heavy casualties.
Six of the men were instantly
killed. and two died within a short
time after the explosion. First re-
ports that two trench mortars had
exploded were erroneous.
Sergt. Norman Bow, Canadian,
who is an assistant instructor tor
the Stokes trench mortar. said he
saw a soldier attempting to force a
shell and that he attempted to warn
the gunner. The explosion came
too quick, however, and Bow was
slightly wounded by fragment OF
the shell.
There were about 10000 soldiers
OF the l4lst and land infantry at
the trenches.
Hundreds of civilians were stand
ing at a distance watching the fir
ing.