Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1918-07-17
CHAPTER XXIlI-continued.

~
sboutpd to the driver to stop, ana
IN his nervousness he put on the
brakes. We nearly pitched out mead
first But the applying of those brakes
saved orr lives. The next instant
there was a binding flash and a deaf
oring reDort. All that l remember is
that I was flying through the air, and
wondering if l would land In a SOFT
spOt. Then the lights went out.
When 1 came to, Atwell was pouring
water on my head out Of his bottle.
On the other side of the road the cor
moral was sitting, rubbing a lump on
bis forehead with his left hand, while
his right arm was bound up in blood
soaked bandage. He was moaning
very loudly. had an awful headache
and the skin on the left side of my
face was full of gravel and the blood
was trickling from my nose.
But that ambulance was turned over
In the ditch and was perforated with
holes from fragments Of the shell. One
Of the front wheels was slowly revolv-
Ing, so l could not have been "Out" for
long period.
The shells were still screaming over
head, but the battery had raised its
fire and they were bursting in a little
wood about half a mile from us.
Atwell spoke up. 81 wish that Off
Ger hadn't wished us the best O. luck"
Then he commenced swearing. l
couldn't help laughing, though my
head was nigh to bursting.
Slowly rising to my feet felt myself
all over to make sure that there were
no broken bones. But outside of a few
bruises and scratches l was all right.
The corporal was still moaning, but
more from shock than pain. A shell
splinter had gone through the flesh of
his right forearm. Atwell and I, from
our frst-aid pouches, put a tourniquet
on his arm to stop the bleeding and
then gathered up our equipment.
We realized that we were in a dan
gerous spot. At any minute a shell
might drop on the road and finish us
OIL The village we had left was not
very far, so We told the corporal he
hsd better go back to it and get his
arm dressed, and then report the fact
OF the destruction of the ambulance to
Inc military police. He was well able
10 walk, so he set off In the direction
OF the village, while Atwell and 1 con-
unued our way on foot.
Without further mishap we arrived
al our destination, and reported to bri-
lets. N VA
mat night we slept in the battalion
sergeant majors dugout. The next
burning l went to a first-aid post and
$40 me gravel picked out Of my face.
Inc instructions we received from
uSlSlon headquarters read that we
"'e out TO catch spies, patrol trenches,
w Sa'Cn German dead, reconnoiter in No
nsa Land, and take part in trench
dead. 0O0ns VI the
;. NSu pass which would allow me-
90 anywhere at any time in the sec-
=. u the line held by our division. II
e NE authority to stop and search
a.. ,ou'aaces' motor lorries, wagons and
~ Su oHeers and soldiers, whenever
suspicious deemed II necessarv
s asSell and I were allowed to work to.
SEE sIeE or Singly-it was left to our
.sment' We decided to team I'D.
AIWel was good companion and
con ~! entertaining. He had an uttar
bs rtslnpt for danger, but was not fool.
A Go, AT swearing he was a wonder.
n,o va'alry regiment would have been
isnS " MIN. Though born In Eng
NJ NJ ne had spent several Years n
s' s" York. he was about Six Too+ 80 ~
aS strong as an OK. -
s, We took up our quarters IN , ,.
susOut Of the ROYAL sng,n ~ a large
1pe ppga out our future actions. T TIS
e.ns.s- was on the edge Of a large
n ,s.y, and several times NJ niast
tunbII mining to 1t, We got many a fall
Rencs over the graves Of English Sl
eccssIon .Au 1ermans. Atwell on these
Hoprb :. never INDUCED in swearing
any other time, at the ls.s. J.