Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1918-02-21
SYNOPSIS

William J. Robinson. . young American
On u business trip In London. catches the
war fever and enlists In British cavalry
regiment and lands 1t Ostend In October.
1914
Made driver OF an armored car and takes
part in battles about Ypres. Transferred
TO the army service corps has further
fighting experiences NJ o motorcycle rider
with machine gun attached and as dis
patch rider
n.cr,bes Christmas Of 1914 in trenche
.o,,sh ri Ypres Fearful losses. kills .
SINNER and tells Of Belgian spies.
witnesses Royal Horse artillery in 40
ton Has narrow escape and takes rsf'
uRe In a cellar. IL sent to Paris.
Describes bomb throwing and aeroplane
attacks and the bombardment OF a village.
Kills u trench digger.
The mining and capture OF Hiii % Sc
cures leave and describes war Incidents In
Glasgow Returns to Ypres In midst Of
bombardment.
Motors with an officer through Ypres to
Potizze amid bursting shells and bombs
dropped from aeroplanes. A terrible ride
Enveloped with poison gas. but gets
through Carries dispatches through .
fierce three weeks battle. Tells OF Ca
madam attack.
The bombardment OF Poperinghe. Slight.
ly wounded while motoring. Humors OK
trench warfare. Capturing spies Dyna-
hitting q chateau In No Mans Land.
CHAPTER ri.
Preferred Firing Line to Hospital
COON after this I reported sick for
y the first time since had been In
the British army. had a growth
in my throat. and they sent me to a
hospital In Armentieres. There they
removed the growth and put me to
bed on stretcher.
was In the hospital only three days.
and during my stay there the Germans
shelled the town the entire time. |
felt awfully sorry for the poor fellows
there who were helpless and didn't
know ut what moment q shell might
come through and wipe them OF the
face Of the earth.
l stood 1t for three days. and when
l saw that they had made no move to
discharge me from hospital asked
the orderly In my ward when | would
10 likely to get out
oh" he suid. you won't be out of
here for u week yet!''
Wont II" | asked. "Well. you Just
go down to the other end Of the ward
and turn your back for few moments
and see whether | will get out or mott
He said he couldn't do thing like
that. but the next time he was down
there simply got up and walked out
In these hospitals so near the firing
line there ure no such things AZ beds.
and one simply lies on q stretcher with
his clothes all on.
When | reached the gate Of the hos
p!tal | found policeman on duty
there. but ! simply said the magic
word DUTY" and walked right by him.
l got q lift Oh a motor lorry for four.
teen miles. and walked the other
eight back to camp.
When l returned and reported my.
self they asked me for my discharge
sheet. but said had lost 1t. 80 there
was nothing they could do about 1t.
In the spring Of 1915 the kaiser paid
a visit to the German trenches. l guess
he came very quietly. for the nrst We
knew Of 1t was when the Germans In
the trenches opposite US raised biz
board above their parapet. on which
was printed something like this:
THE EMPEROR WAS HERE YEsrER.
DAY.
had YOU ONLY KNOWN
THE ENGLISH WERE EVER Slow
Our chaps printed q board whict
went them one better. II said:
THE KING HAS BEEN HERE TWICE
TOMORROW THE PRESIDENT
OF FRANCE CONES.
We ARE NOT AFRAID 10 TELL TOT
NOW.
TRITZ. YOU ARE HARALEeSi
To carry the Joke to the end. some
body dug up . silk hat from some
where. and about o'clock all the fel
lows began to cheer. They stuck tn
hat on the end Of Q stick aud carrie<
It along the trench 20 that It could b
seen.
That hat was absolutely riddled Will
bullets. but they carried It clear to tn
end Of the trench. and then they threw
both hat and stick over the parapst o
that the 0esmans could 80 how the,
had been fooled And bow or fellow
howied!
The Germans wsss % mad sAinl
they would have done ~ violence ha,
they had the opportunity. 4 ttti
thing like that means lot b De boy
- the trenches. and Il = he subjec
Of conversation Tor days and day
afterward
Later w began TO have more trosbl
with spies. We caught punches q