The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-10-29

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
yerely 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
lave 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
ish troops, days after they should
have been in a leave camp recuper-
ating for another tour of duty at the
front. At Scissors / saw many wound
ed men come back to our field hospital
after their own units had retired to
the rear.
Separated From Units.
ut is difficult to understand why
this could happen unless one had seen
how fighting men may become separat-
ed from their units In hard battles.
They go over the top together but
after that anything may happen. Thus
Ii 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withdrawn to make way for relief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.
II recall particularly one case where
1t 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 anC
asked for volunteers. 1t is ali the
more remarkable when you consider
what those men had survived to know
that every nan in the company volun
teered for the service that would keel
him neal the 'front.'"
Titus said that the thing he woulC
recall most often from his store o
experiences in "Y" work was the i'm
pressive spirit of the fighting men. A
Cantigny, he explained, men were com
Ing out of action practically shot t.
pieces. But as they lay on their cot
In the field hospital they joshed an,
laughed in spite of the pain they SUI
fered.
"At n moment" he added, 81,
wounded man would groan as a sud
den pain darted through his body, an,
the next minute he would be laugh
ing and saying: Cad, did you Sc
those Huns rum
Source Of Wonder.
"The walking wounded were Away
a source of wonder to me. / canno
imagine how some of those men man
aged to make their way back to tn
dressing stations without assistance
/ saw n man with both arms dan
Cling helpless by his side-I know tina
only by supreme nerve was he over
coming the pain he sutherland
heard him tell two stretcher bearer
not to mind him but to keep ON an
bring In a man whose legs wouldn'
bring him."
Titus was with a trench mortar bat
terry at Cantigny In May when the bat
terry threw 776 big bombs into tn
village In one day. He said that thes
trench mortars. which never had beel
used before by the United State
forces, were most destructive and sen
the Germans On the run in such
hurry that heavy guns which they ha,
abandoned were found loaded an,
ready to be turned upon them whel
the Americans captured the village.
He brought back a priced treasure
a watch that was purchased In Tou
by the men Of the battery and pre-
sented to him with a purse that con