The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-05-31
GERMAN AIRMEN
BOMB AREA BACK
OF THE AMERICAN
Line IN PICARDY
Three Ambulances Carry
ing Patients Are Caught
in the Raid
(By Associated Press.)

(By Associated Press.)
With the American Army in
France, Thursday. May 30,-German
airmen made a pretentious raid on
the area behind the American lines
in Picardy last night. American and
French wounded soldiers in hospitals
back of the front were carried to
cellars by American nurses and
members of the American Red Cross.
Three American ambulances were
caught in the raid. Sergeant Ethan
Wells, Of San Francisco, who was
driving the first ambulance, said:
Our three ambulances were hur-
rying to the hospital with patients,
when a bomb wrecked q building di-
rectly in front of us. in q narrow
street. Our ambulance was perfor-
ated by flying missiles. We were al
hurled out, but escaped with a few
Private Robert A.. Bowman, of Gal
weston. who was in the same car
said: -aH-
There was a terrific explosion
The next thing ! knew l was lying
on the ground. I looked around and
heard the patients groaning. pull
ed myself together and found the
patients uninjured except for the
shock. Our ambulance was shot to
pieces"
The second car apparently receiv-
ed the full force of the explosion
and was wrecked completely.
Private Roscoe Wiley, Of Madi-
sonviIle,. Texas, was driving the third
car. Sergeant J. w. Molder, Of Al
toona, Pa, and three patients were
with him. " -.
There was wreckage all around
u.s." said Sergeant Molder. injured
civilians in the shattered houses
nearby were begging help. We all
pitched in as soon as We had recov-
cred from the shock and assisted in
the work Of rescue. We had to dig
many persons from the debris, by
the light of small pocket lamps.
Meanwhile enemy aircraft were buZ-
zing overhead. The barrage was
deafening Bombs continued to fall.
It was worse than anything in the
trenches: I would rather have been
In No Mans Land"
Memorial Day.
In the Memorial day exercises in
the rear Of the American sector in
Picardy a small American flag and
flowers were placed on each grave
of an American soldier. The cere-
mony was in charge Of four Ameri-
can chaplains and one French chap
lain, assisted by the Salvation Army
representatives. -&
Lincoln's Gettysburg speech was
read. after which the band played re-
ligious and patriotic anthems, and
prayers were said in English and
French. It was most touching to see
old women. old men. and children
from the nearby villages standing
near the American graves with flow-
many eyes as Chaplain T. J. Dick
son, Of the American army, spoke. .
"The living would speak to the
dead, and by placing flowers on
their graves tell them that their sac
rifice has not been in vain," he
said. "The flowers are the .testi-
mony of our eternal gratitude"
The Rev. Father A. Cadoux, the
French chaplain, paid tribute to the
dead American soldiers and to the
valor and heroism of France. He
said that the mothers. fathers, sis
ters. wives and sweethearts of the
American dead may rest assured that
the French will always care for the
graves Of their heroes.
The French civilians then ad-
NdlCHQ ana plaCeue Lnelr moral trlD-
utes on the graves. The little cemv
etery was literally covered with
flowers.
The touch OF war was not missing
and, just at the close Of the service,
American anti aircraft guns began
to fire on German airmen hidden be-
hind the clouds.
a touching picture was added to
the ceremony, when Horse belong
ing to one of the American officers
killed at Cantigny was led to the
grave Of his dead master, where he
remained until the ceremony was
over.