The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1918-06-14
'GHAS. BAYeS WOUNDED
IN A FRENCH RAID
LAWRENCE COUNTY SOLDIER
TELLS OF HIS THRILLING Ex-
PERIENcE IN FRANCE.

The following letter from Charlie,
Bayes. of Yatesville, Lawrence county
was written May 16 In France ana u
very interesting. He was reported 81
wounded and later we heard he wal
dead and we are glad to know lie !.
alive and Will get well. The letter
| was addressed to Miss Emma Gaines
Potter:
u. S. A Base Hospital No. Il.
APO No. 1852 A. f. r
Dear Emma:
/ suppose that ever since | came
away to join the army you've baea
thinking about how long it would be
before I'd be getting into a HOSPITAL
somewhere.
Well-I'm in a hospital now and
probably will be for few weeks long
er-but / guess I'm a lot better off
here than great many others. anyway.
1t was case OF fighting pretty stifs
fight or being taken prisoner by the
Germans and we decided to fight, ev-
en- though il wasn't the easiest fight
we've been in.
Our detachment was working In diff
ferent places in the trench we were
holding. Some of us had our guns
right handy and some OF us didn't. The
Germans stole up on us and pulled a
surprise raid; giving the gas alarm and
tried TO round all of us up in a group
They thought they had a nice little
gang of Americans to take back to
camp as prisoners.
But they had another guess coming
Our Lieutenant-he's here in the same
hospital. started the fight and every
last man in the detachment, with or
without his gun started to give battle.
We kept right on fighting until we had
the Huns beaten off; some of them
killed, some captured and the others
beat 1t back TO their own lines. They
didn't get so much as a single prisoner
for their effort.
Their company in their own trench
es were throwing hand grenades into
our trenches during the fight and one
of them exploded just little too close
to me. When it was all over the doc
tors found couple of holes through
both of my legs and through one arm
All that happened on April I4th and
since then I've been in the hospitals.
First they took me to a French hospital
where they operated and took out the
metal that had gotten in there. 1t was
necessary for them to take a lot OF
stitches in my legs and arm: but the
job was done as well as might ask a
surgeon at home to do it for me.
When / was improved quite a bit
they sent me back here to this hospi-
tai and I've been here since Sunday.
May u. This hospital is run by doc
tors, nurses and men from Syracuse,
where was in camp last summer and |
from Youngstown, Ohio.
/ wish could tell you more about
he place-they tell me it's beautiful |
summer resort Before the war the
Shah of Persia and the countess and |
'ther nobility used to come here for
he summer. We are sleeping in a
Dom that used to be private dining
-oom-and some place it is. too.
There is big theater here. run by /
he Red Cross and when I'm able to
I'M going over there to see real Am
rican movies and the other entertain
nents they put on over there almost
very night in the week.
There's not much else to write to you
ow. When my legs are better so /
an sit up in bed for more than a lit
le while at time I'll write you an
Their letter-myself. This one is being
Tritten for me by one OF the Syracuse
oys connected with the hospital.
Please write soon and tell me all ;
bout everything that's going on. II I
ill seem good to get news straight
-om home. Ii
CHARLEY p. BAYS.