The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-04-27
AMERICANS IN
BRITISH NAVY
By Lieut. Lewis r. Freeman,
r. N, V. K.
Copyright 1918 by Reciprocal News
SerYice.)

(Sy Mal MOST OF the AmeIEAnS
in the British army--like their coun-
trymen serving in the British army
Game 10 it in the first place by way
OF Canada. Passing themselves of
as one-time British subjects, whose
birth certificates or passports III
these were perfunctorily demanded)
had been temporarily mislaid,' they
were readily accepted by an indul-
gent recruiting officer who had de-
teleped An eye as blind as Nelson's
50 far as the nationality of such in
comparable lighting material as this
was concerned,
So long as America was still a
neutral it was deemed best-both by
the British authorities and the
Americans themSelYes-- that their
,pretence Of Canadian nationality be
maintained. Nine out OF ten OF
them, however, were known to their
mssSmates as "pukka Yanks," and
their presence In the war year or
two ahead of the official appearance
OF their country has been, am con-
vineed, zn incalcu1bly valuable in
Auence in laying the foundation for
better understanding OF Americans
among those with whom they have
come in contact.
With the entry of the United
States into the war the necessity OF
further camouAagc on the part OF
her fighting pioneers was at an end.
Many OF them applied for-and were
invariably granted-permisSion to
transfer their services to America, il
possible in European waters. or at
least in ships which had a reason
able expectation of making their ap-
pearance there. Those who remained
did SO for one or both Of two rea-
sons: Because they felt they had
found their niche and could serve
the allied cause better by remaining
II It. or because they were afraid OF
missing any or all OF what remained
of the show through delay incident
TO transferring to American service,
Such was the ex-KansaS farmer
of whom l shall write next week as
doing such remarkable work as cap
tain OF an anti-submArine patrol
boat, and such was the astonishing
ly determined Californian who took
me up for a ride in his kite" bal
loon few days ago. His story
rold for the most part literally
among the clouds--reyealS a devo-
uon to duty and ideals, and 4 dog
ged win to see the game through
that cannot have known a great
many parallels even in war in
which hereism IS as much OF COM
monplaee As bully beef and apple
jam.
l met Lieut.. K, R. N. A. S.. at
tea during an afternoon which |
spent on the ship to which he is at
tached. He was introduced to me
Rs a Canadian who talks more
about Iankeeland than about his
own county" The reason for this
| discovered = few minutes later
when, walking the quarterback for a
half hour with him. he told me tha;
the only time he had ever been in
Canada was the two months spent in
an Ontario training camp early in
the war.
Il was born in Fresno, CAL he
said with laugh, "and such British
blood as aoWs in my veins was trans
mitted ffom a grandfather who was
Welsh and a mother who was hall
Scotch. l don't know just what
fraction that works out to, but il
was enough to spoil my sleep during
the month ! waited to see If my own
country was not going to come in
Then l became impatient and tried
TO join up through some OF the Brit.
Sh censuS in America; but the only
ones who replied to my letters SAID
that they were unable even to dc
anything for the thousands o.
STItiSh-Aorn in the country who had
flooded them with requests to be
sent across Finally, through :
young Enghshman who owned q
ranch adjoining mine at Porterville
got wind of the way to wtangle il
by the Canadian route and the two
OF as went together to Vancouver
There We got the tip that we woulc
be sent across sooner if we joined VI
In eastern Canada, which we did b,
going on to Toronto. There we were
lucky from the start. We went intc
an infantry regiment, and shortly
half trained, but keen as mustard
were sent over with the 6rst of tht
new centingentS. Poor old F.
got his at Plug street'--gaSsed anc
hayoneted where he lay, so Learned
Afterwards. in the same ATTACK | 20
this glass leg--shrapnel-hzh spent
luckjy--through under the tendon
Of the knee. 1t took all the sprin,
out OF the leg action, as you see
and, as l already had a good deal 0
Ieahie in my other knee from al
Old wrench got when l played tackl
At the University Of California, i
was the last straw to break the bacl
ct my usefulness as an infantryman
! thought of--Hullo, look at that I!
be broke OF. There goes the x
KITE, and with two men in it, too
Let me see--ir must be L. an,
k. How's the wind? West
n0t--west. Un--hope its warme
ever JutlAnd way than when W
were cruising about there las
week"
The Grand Fleet took just abou
as much notice of the renegade bal