Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-12-16
ARGUS MAN WAS
VICTIM OF HUNS
n I Means COnYalCSCent in Rest
Hc>nitaI at Rear OF Lines aS
ECsul, CT Injury.

ro-na~aI Clark L. Means. with
r.~nsrv j. one Hundred Thirty
set infantry. American Expedition
- Forces. and @ former Argus
-s7 writes members of the Office
-, he suffered gas attack at
- hands Of the Huns just before
- signing OF The aruIsJCe, and at
- zine OF writing of the letter,
Wv Il. was seeing life in a con-
-slrsceat hospital behind the lines.
~. gives assurance. however. that
"a is getting along spiendldly and
Lcnes soon To he ON his way home.
He saws ia part.
THE lc1Ehboy over here Ger
..f-rv IS well taken care Of I left
M company about 10 a m and
,rsni u our battalion hospital
Nero We were examined, and those
ms VINO were able 10 walk were
Classified as walking patients. This
lace was an old dugOut and was
xi-hin Smelling distance Of the en-
INV We were then directed 10 a
fed hospital, and those who were
t7o sick TO walk were taken in am
sos through mud and when we
reached there We were registered
sn8 marked for an evacuation hos
rrai We rested here for a while
and then marched on the evacuation
fespraI il was in sight when We
started and only looked short dis
tsnce, but lr-seeued as though we
would never get there.
when we reached there we were
all given cards with diagnosis OF
our cases and these cards went with
ne ali the way. We were served
hot cocoa and put into trucks. 1t
vas around 3 P. m by this time
and we rode about thirty kilOs.
we went through any number of
towns that had been leveled with
sbells. but finally we got TO a wide
ssphalt boulevard and as we rode
along saw large numbers of camps
az Americans. Some were in bar
racks and / guess were in reserve
10 the divisions up in front. Well,
We landed in another evacuation
camp. where they had wooden
buildings. and we got into the office
Of one and crowded around a real
stove. It took some time for some
more clerical work, and We were
given stretches and plenty of
blankets TO sleep on. We took our
shoes OF for the first time in a good
many days and were brought a sup
per Of hot stew and coffee. 1t GER
tainly did taste good.
We'll, we had just dropped off
into the first peaceful slumber we
had had for a long time, when an
orderly came in and called off sew
eraI names. mine among them. and
We had 10 get out of our warm
hunks and get into another truck
We were driven about eight miles
to a big town. and about midnight
We were put aboard a Red Cross
train. We were in a box car, but
il had 10 hunks in il and some nice
clean blankets, so once more we
fell into the hay. I guess it was
about nine bells when I woke up,
and. soon after. the Frenchman,
who was our attendant, got off at a
station and brought US in a hot
meal and some Bull Durham.
we Travelled all day, and it sure
was a relief to look out the car
window and see scenery that was
not marred by shell fire. We pulled
into the base hospital along towards
evening, and here we had to go
through some more clerical routine.
Then we were given a hot shower,
and after going for almost two
months without bath, you can rest
assured il was appreciated. We
were put TO bed. and for two days
We stayed in bed and rested. We
we're then given our clothes and
had TO fall into the mess line for
our meals. They fed close to 1000
men in this line, but it didn't take
long.
There was a nurse by the name
Of Lillian Clark from Rock Island
al this place. but l did not know it
til I left there. We were there
about FIVE days. and then were sent
/ to a cOnyalescent camp.
Here they had Fairgrounds, and
We had certain periods 10 spend on
| these We also drilled part of the
day and got a few minutes Gales
themes every morning. I was
weighed on entering the camp and
] found I had gained % pounds since
i joining the army.
There was a fair-sized town at
his place. but it was the same as
all Of them We left there and are
row in classification camp, and
Just heard that men from our divis-
ion are going ont today"
Mr Means has been in service
since early spring and has been on
duty overseas since May and has
seen much actual warfare before
he s7gu-ra ~ Tho a-rrt5sfFce