Catoctin clarion., 1918-10-31
FOUGHT like HIS
NAME WAS MIKE
This Bird Answers to 'North.
more," but Look What
He Did.
DISAPPOINTED IN THIS war
Hero Of One Of Hottest Actions Of
War Complains Because He
Was Wounded Early in
the Fight.
By e, A, BATCHElOH.

Northmore, fate must have laughed
loudly. It's so unlike him. The name
does not suggest the deeds this par
ticular Northmore has done recently
in France. He should have been
called Mike.
Northmore Hamlll Is his full name
and he lives In Detroit, Mich, when
he is home. A little over two years
ago he was In the senior class at high
school, smallish, bashful yOungster
with an engaging smile. Now he Is
Private Hamill, United States marine
CORPS convalescent from two wounds,
one of the many hero,; of one of the
hottest aciinns Of the war, finished
"hard-bOlled" soldier.
Private Hamill has been little
disappointed in this war. 1t has some
good points, Of course, but he feels
that he was cheated because, as he
expresses 1t, he "didn't see much of
the fight"
Twice wounded and still he didn't
see much of certain fight!
Here Is Private Hamill's story as he
told 1t bashfully, even apologetically
after had given him cigarette of
a popular brand, cigarette that has
been hard to get in France:
Northmore Had Hard Luck.
Eyes, 1t was good fight, that lit
tie affair at Belleau Woods. l missed
the best part of 1t because l had the
rotten luck to be wounded early, but
the rest Of the boys had busy time.
1--WE advanced in broad daylight
through wheat field with the Hun
machine gun bullets reaping the grain
around us as nicely as though it had
been done with a scythe. Then we
got into the woods where they had
plenty of guns and plenty Of cover.
My platoon was a little in advance of
the rest Of the company, and we had
almost reached the clearing on the
far side of the woods when we ran
into nest of machine guns.
1--WE had no hand grenades with us
so all there was to do was to try to
pick off the gunners with our rifles.
"All of a sudden, something ex-
ploded right among four of us that
were lying near rock. felt some
thing like a needle stab in each leg
and knew that had been hit. Billy,
one of my pals, got a piece OF the
lend grenade, for that is what had
gone off, through the steel helmet. 1t
went into his skull and he grOaned a
couple Of times and was gone. Two
ether men had been wounded, too,
making four casualties for one m'asly
little hand grenade. Did you ever
hear Of such luck?
1--WE had to use Billy's body as
kind Of breast-work, for things were
getting pretty hot about then and the
Uoor fellow was gone and there was
no use Of the rest of US being ex-
posed.
"I could still work my rife. for the
pieces Of metal in my legs weren't
very big and they didn't hurt very
much. Finally all my ammunition was
gone and I had to roll Billy over and
use his cartridges. hated to do it
It gave me the creeps-but what else
was there to do when was all out OF
shells?
Navy Man Cool.
"Finally we got orders to fall back
to the advanced dressing station,
which was behind big rock, and the
bullets pinging around and chipping
of pieces of stone all the time. There
was a hospital man from the navy
there and he certainly was cool one.
He bandaged us up as calmly as II
there was not such thing as war
going on. :,
"Then another fellow and I started
for the next dressing station where
there was a surgeon and we could
get a little better care. The other
"blesse" was hit in the face and was
so bandaged up that he couldn't see.
I couldn't step on my left leg, so
guided him and he held me up and
we got along very well.
"Finally we got back into the little
village where the surgeon was work.
ing in a cellar. I was about all in
by this time when Y. M. G. A. man
came up and gave me cigarette. l
could almost have kissed him.
'There were some terribly wounded
men in that cellar and the surgeon
was working without any anaesthetic
but there wasn't a whimper. The
gamest men I ever expect to see!
They just lay and watched him cut
them up and bit their lips and bore It,
"That's the kind of thing that
makes you proud Of being American.
"Tn few days expect to be going
back to duty. There is still a piece
of iron in my knee but the doctor
says to let it stay there for the pres
ent and see how 1 get along. If my
leg won't stand up, I'll have 1t taken
out. for of course I want to be back
with the boys before the next push"
If anyone should suggest to Private
Hamill, United States marine corps,
that he had done anything heroic. he
would blush and 6dget and give other
evidence Of feeling uncomfortable