Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-05-30
CORPORAL W|SNER
TELLS OF WOUND|NG
Son-in-law of Rev. Mr.. Kirkus
Didn't Know He Was Hit
Until Blood Flowed.


how does one feel when one is wounded?,
Here's question asked many many times
by ''the folks at home" since American
troops have been in France, when they
have heard of or read about the wounding
of a relative, friend or acquaintance Nor
is it idle curiosity that prompts the query,
but a sort of psychological reflex Of the
bond, be 10 great or small, that joins the
Questioner and the wounded one.
Corporal Paul Wlsner, son-in-law OF
Rev. Frederick NJ kirkiIs, of Trinity =.
+. Church, who was hit by n shell splinter
on April 26, while serving In France with
one of the regiments of the famous
Rainbow Division" has written to his
near-and-dear ones here quite an interest
ing account of his experience-aDd the
gist of it is that he didn't know he WAS
wounded until he saw blood on his shirt
The letter in part follows
he entire company started towards
the front at about $50 p. m, IN tho
middle Of very heavy ram storm. We
marched until about , a IN. with, Of
course. the usual ten minutes rest every
hour. We were IN heavy marching order
and have never felt a heavier pack IN my
life, even on the famous six days hike IN
the middle Of last winter Our overcoats
and equipment seemed TO soak up pounds
of water like sponge and we also had the
additional weight OF our new rubber boots
gust issued, which must have weighed
ten pounds apiece at least.
Our destination was q small village
some seven miles from the position We
were to hold in the line. We had tho re-
mainder of that night and the next day To
rest and sleep and at about ! | clock the
following night our detachment started
forward AS I've explained III previous
letters our company never gues into action
as single unit but because of It's various
specialized duties n separated INTO small
groups at various points along the front
held by the regiment, according To their
respective jobs Even our platoon is split
up, part held IN rcoerve and the other
placed as required
We arrived nj our dcstinationj bout
a m and | had 10 he told twice that
we were actually at the front before |
could believe ID, for we were haited9n the
middle Of a large village, as villages 81 IN
France Ii was only after looking care
fully that YOU could see that every single
house was empty and abandoned. There
was not civilian in the place The
French trenches ran along one end of the
hills about 100 yards distant Our Sec
ton Of platoon was relieving q similar
unit OF another American regiment. Their
quarters were more luxurious than any
thing the widest flights Of imagination
could picture for soldiers quarters at the
front
Unlike our previous experiences we
were not in the front line trenches but
occupied one Of the last empty houses in
the village. situated about two or three
hundred yards behind the line Of trenches
which. as | previously stated, ran along
just on theeoulskIrts The whole village
was entirely exposed TO enemy artillery
and why they haven't entirely knocked II
fiat | imagine only the General could tell
you
Our duties were to be simply on the
defensive and the men we relieved told us
that they had not fred q shot during their
stay and that everything had been tran
guilty itself The only danger, accord
ing 10 them WAS from German snipers
who were supposed TO be hiding IN the
deserted buildings waiting for any IN
wary soldier
1t was daylight before we got our
guns in position and ourselves fairly
settled We were fortunate in being able
TO take over the ammunition already
brought up and IN place instead OF break
ing our hump getting Il up under cover OF
darkness. - we had To do previously
The day and night passed in perfect
quueJ with little desultory firing from
our guns but no reply from the enemy
We spent the day sleeping and getting
acquainted with our new quarters and
they were indeed ideal
The house was untouched except for
one shell hole in The roof and practically
al the original furniture was still there
nv gun-crcw and myself slept in the
upstairs room shared huge double
bed with another man We piled il deep
with fresh hav and spent delightful
night Right outside the door was q great
stone trough filled with fresh running
water was III charge Of the guard, post
cd To give warning Of a gas or any other
sort Of attack. from 8 30 to 100 a. m
There Was fine fire burning in the
huge fireplace and sat before it in most
comfortable cushioned char and smoked
a cigar. bought at the y NJ c. A -Four
hours never seemed to pass more quickly
My fire was rapidly consuming what had
evidently once been babys' crib and
thought Of the Little family who had
lived IN the house probably for genera
uons, Tor il was very old, and wondered
who they were and what had become OF
them after their hurried exodus.
Twice was called out 10 investigate
some noise or shadow seen or imagined
bY the men on post but each time it
proved to DC nothing and the night
passed in perfect peace The early part
Of the next morning spent IN getting
wa,hed and shaved and about ten o'clock
We were all out in the barn end of the
building cleaning our rifles.
It was perfect spring day and moth
ing could have been more tranquil
forgot 10 state previously that in the
cellar of the house a small bomb proof or
dug-ouJ had been constructed in which
refuge could be taken in ease of lombard
ment Suddenly 'whiz-bang German
II centimetre explosive she'll landed
In the middle Of the road just outside our
front door We immediately dropped
everything and ran Ia ,he dug-ouJ en-
trance IL was So narToW that only one
man at time could get in. While waI,ing
there for the men to get III, the next shell
hit and exploded within fifteen feet Of us.
The entrance to the dug-out was in
side ,he building SO we had considerable
protection, otherwise the two or three Of
us who had not gotten to cover would
WEAK KIDNEYS