South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-12-17
SOUTH BEND MEN
MEET IN RANCE
J. G. AmeS and Neil BerOth
Are Thrown Together lust
as Troops Leave.

One Of the finest testimonials Of
the lighting spirit OF the Yankee sol
diers and an illustration of Che
heroism and pluck Of South Bend
10y who has been in every import
ant battle in France that American
troops have taken part in. is tol1
graphically and interestingly in "a
letter 20 DR. F. j. Moore OF south
BEND from j. @. Ames. also OF South
Send, who has been Boz France for
many months in charge OF a. II. ~.
a.. a. division in the war zone
The entire letter concerns the
meeting OF Mr Ames and Neu p.
Beroth. son Of AIr. and Mrs George
Beroth OF California av.. a stretcher
bearer with the first division of the
American army and who was
among the first American troops To-
land In France. his 18th month Of
overseas service being due on the
9th Of this meath.
The parents of Prt Beroth arc
still uneasy regarding the safety OF
their son, as they have had no word
from him since oct. 81 At that
time the young soldier stated i'm his
letter that he was recovering from
q sick spell caused from drinking
water from a, well that had been
poisoned 10y the rctreatiug Germans.
Tie had previously been severely
gassed ard wounded once in one les
by shrapnel. recovering from both
in time 20 return 90 active service.
His division is at present stationed
on police duty at 6ridgehead a few
miles east Of Coblenz. Germany.
Mr.. Ames letter follows:
do YOU remember Neil Bcroth
] dent suppose YOU do. but he was
one OF my Bible class BOYS az South
Bend. and ] saw him last night
was taking O. jitney load OF benches
over TO one of the associations Had
them on the car and was just start
ing away when IS big. sire piping fell
low rushed out of the crowd and
nearly pulled me out OF the car. He
was tickled 10 death 10 sec me. but
] had the time of my life recalling
what his name was. but here ne was,
and so after ] unloaded ] came in
and talked 20 him for a couple OF
hours.
He has surely had a time. He
enlisted just before the war broke
out. i'm the hospital corps. and has
been "A stretcher bearer with one Of
the divisions which mas been iu
France from the first He has been
in every big fight that American
troops have been i'm Chateau Thier-
rs. Lassigny and scissors. and has
carried hundreds of wounded At
scissors he almost missed the push.
as he was away on leave. lie heard
IL was coming of and rushed back
just i'm time 10 catch his outfit They
We're travelling light and ne left
everything he had behind him
threw away everything, clothing.
razor. etc. that he might not have
80 carry anything unnecessary. and
just went for IL. And If he did not
have stories 10 tell, The rush was
So sudden that they put the Ger
mans &c flight and chased them Is
miles about as fast as they could
go. As a stretched bearer ne car
rics no gun. but ne showed me a
knife that he carries i'm his puttee
which I would not care TO meet I'm
the hands OF frightened, angry
man.
Il can't tell YOU OF course. an that
] know about his experiences. but 7
can say that az least ne got shrap-
mel wound. Not a serious one, but
10 did send him 70 the hospital He
had not been paid for five months.
as IL is very difficult for men i'm ac-
tive service to get 20 the paymaster.