Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1918-07-26
CHAPTER xxlll-continued.

I shouted TO the driver TO stop, and
In his nervousness he put on the
brakes. We nearly pitched out head
nrst. But the applying Of those brakes
saved our lives. The next instant
there was a binding flash and deaf
euing report. All that | remember Is
that was flying through the air, and
wondering II | would land In soft
spot Then the lights went out.
When | came to, Atwell was pouring
water on my head out OF his bottle,
On the other side Of the road the cor
porhl was sitting, rubbing lump on
his forehead with his left hand, while
his right arm was bound up in 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
In the ditch and was perforated with
holes from fragments Of the shell. One
OF the front wheels was slowly reyOlv-
ing. so could not have been "out' for
q long period
The shells were still screaming over
head, bat the battery had raised its
ERE and they were bursting in a little
wood about half mile from us.
Atwell spoke up. II wish that Off.
GER hadn't wished us the best o luck :"
Then he commenced swearing.
cOuldn't help laughing, though my
hesd 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 | was all right.
The corporal was still moaning, but
more from shock than pain. A shell
splinter had gone through the flesh Of
his right forearm. Atwell and !. from
our tirst-aid pouches, put tourniquet
on his arm TO stop the bleeding and
then gathered up our equipment.
We realized that we were In a dam
gerous spot At any minute shell
might drop an the road and finish us
of. The village we had left was not
very far, so we told the corporal he
had better 20 back to It and get his
arm dressed. md then report the fact
IL the destruction of the ambulance TO
the military police. He was well able
to walk. so he set Off In the direction
Of the village. while Atwell and con-
tinued our way on foot.
without further mishap we arrived
at our destination, and reported to bf-
gade headquarters for rations and BIZ
lets.
That night we slept in the battalion
sergeant majors dugout The next
morning went to tirst-aid post and
had the gravel picked out Of my face.
The Instructions we received from
division headquarters read that we
were out to catch spies, patrol trenches,
search German dead recOnnoiter In No
Mans Land. and take part In trench
raids and prevent the robbing OF the
dead.
/ had a pass which would allow me
to 20 anywhere at any time in the sec
tor Of the line held by our division. 1t
gave me authority to stop and search
ambulances, motor lorries, wagons and
even officers and soldiers. whenever
ny suspicious deemed II necessary.
Atwell and were allowed to work to-
yetber or singly-lt was left to our
Judgment. We decided to team up.
Atweil was a good companion and
rery entertaining. He had an utter
.onfesnpt for danger, but was not fool
,ardy. At swearing he was a wonder.
cavalry regiment would have been
roud uf him. Though born In Eng
and. he had spent several years In
lew York. He was about six feet one,
nd as strong as an OK.
We took up our quarters In a large
nsout Of the royal engineers, and
,upped out our future actions. This
ugUm was on the edge Of large
smstefy. and several times at night
J returning to II, we got many q fall
over the graves Of English
rench and Germans. Atwell on these
,caslons never INDUCED In swearing, {
IouEh at any other time, at the least