American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-07-16

aversion to being under fire.
| was riding on the seat with him
while Atwell was sitting in the ambu-
lance, with his legs hanging out Of the,
back.
AS we passed through a shell-de-
stroyed village a mounted military POI
hceman stopped us and informed the
driver to be very careful when we gotl
out on the open road. as 1t was very
dangerous, because the Germans lately
had acquired the habit Of Smelling It,.
The corporal asked the trooper If there
was any other way around, and wasl
Informed that there was not. Upon
this he got very nervous and wanted to-
turn back, but we insisted that he pro-
coed and explained to him that he
would get into serious trouble with his
commanding officer II he returned
without orders; we wanted to ride,
not walk. :
From his conversation we learned,
that he had recently come from Eng
land with a draft and had never been,
under fire, hence his ,
We convinced him that there was not
much danger. and he appeared greatly.
relieved.
When we at last turned into the open
road we were not so confident. On
each side there had been q line of
trees, but now, all that was left Of
them were torn and battered stumps.
The fields on each side of the road
were dotted with recent shell holes,
and we passed several In the road IT.
self. We had gone about half a mile
when a shell came whlstling through
the air and burst In a field about three
hundred yards to u right. Another
soon followed this one and burst on
the edge Of the road about four hun
dred yards in front of US.
l told the driver to throw in his
speed clutch, as we must be in sight
of the Germans. l knew the signs (;
that battery was ranging for US, and
the quicker we got out of its zone Of
fire the better. The driver was trem-
bling like a leaf, and every minute 1
expected him to pile US up in the ditch.
1 preferred the German fire.
In the back Atwell was holding onto
the straps for dear life, and was sing
ing at the top of his voice:
We beat you at the Marine.
We beat you at the Aisne,
We gave you hell at Neuve Chapelle.
And here we are again.
Just then we hit a small shell hole
and nearly capsized. Upon a loud
yell from the rear I looked behind, and
there was Atwell sitting in the middle
of the road, shaking his fist at us. His
equipment, which he had taken off
upon getting into the ambulance, was
strung out on the ground, and his rifle
was in the ditch.
l shouted to the driver TO stop, and
in his nervousness he put on the
brakes. We nearly pitched out head
first. But the applying of those brakes
saved our lives. The next instant
there was a binding flash and a deaf
ening report. All that 1 remember is
that l was flying through the air, and
wondering if l would land in a soft
spot. Then the lights went out.
When l came to, Atwell was pouring
water on my head out of his bottle.
On the other side Of the road the cor
poral was sitting, rubbing a lump on
his forehead with his left hand, while
his right arm was bound up in a 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 I could not have been 'out" fol
q long period.
The shells were still screaming over
head, but the battery had raised it,
fire and they were bursting in a little
wood about half a mile from US.
Atwell spoke up. Il wish that off
Ger hadn't wished US the best o. luck.
Then he commenced swearing.
couldn't help laughing. though m.
head was nigh to bursting.
Slowly rising to my feet I felt mysel
all over to make sure that there wer'
no broken bones. But outside of a few
bruises and scratches 1 was all right
The corporal was still moaning, bu
more from shock than pain. A shell
splinter had gone through the flesh o
his right forearm. Atwell and |, from
our first-aid pouches, put a tournique
on his arm to stop the bleeding AM
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 u
off. The village we had left was no
very far. so we told the corporal h,
had better go back to it and get hi
arm dressed, and then report the fac
of the destruction of the ambulance t,
the military police. He was well abl'
to walk, so he set off in the direction
Of the village, while Atwell and 1 con
tinued our way on foot.
Without further mfShan va arrival