Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-04-09


thestic applied.
When | came to was again lying In
a bed in Munsey ward. One OF the
nurses had drapcd a large American
flag over the head Of the bed. and
clasped in my hand was Il small flag.
and il made me feel good all over TO
again see the stars and Stripes"
At that time | wondered when the
boys In the trenches would see the
emblem of the LAND of the free and
the home OF the brave" beside them,
doing it's bit in this great war of
civilization.
My wounds were very painful. and
several times at night | would dream
that myriads of khaki-clothed figures
would pass my bed and each would
STOP bend over me. and whisper. THE
best OF luck. mate"
Soaked with perspiration / would
awake with cry. and the night nurse
would come over and hold my hand.
This awakening got to he a habit with
me until that particular nurse was
transferred to another ward.
In three weeks time, owing to the
careful treatment received, l was able
to sit up and get my bearings. On
ward contained seventy-five patients,
90 per cent of which were surgical
cases. At the head Of each bed hung
n temperature chart and diagnosis
sheet Across this sheet would be
written "G. S. W." or -. W." the for
mer meaning gun shot wound and the
latter shell wound. The "S. W." pre-
dominated. especially among the Royal
field artillery and Royal engineers.
About forty different regiments were
represented. and many arguments en-
sued as to the respective fighting abili-
wonderful. A Jock arguing with an
Irishman. then n strong Cockney ac-
cent would butt In In favor Of Lon
don regiment. Before long a Welsh
man, followed by a member of n York
shire regiment. and. perhaps. n Cana
dian intrude themselves and the argu-
ment wakes loud and furious. The
patients in the beds start bowling for
them to settle their disputes outside
and the ward is in an uproar. The
head sister comes along and with n
wave of the hand completely routs the
doughty warriors and again silence
reigns supreme.
Wednesday and Sunday Of each week
were visiting days and were looked
forward to by the men. because they
meant parcels containing fruit. sweets
or fags. When a patient had regular
visitor. he was generally kept we'll
supplied with these delicacies. Great
jealousy is shown among the men "a
to their visitors and many word wars
ensue after the visitors leave.
When a man Is sent to a GONZALES
cent home. he generally turns over his
steady visitor to the man in the next
bed.
Most visitors have autograph albums
and bore Tommy to death by asking
him to write the particulars OF his
wounding in same. Several Tommies
try to duck this unpleasant job by tell
ing the visitors that they cannot
write. but this never phases the own
er Of the album; he or she. generally
she, offers to write 1t for them and
Tommy Is stung into telling his ex-
periences.
The questions asked Tommy by visi-
tors would make a clever joke book
to military man.
Some kindly looking old lady will
stop at your bed and in a sympathe tic
voice address YOU: you poor "
wounded by those terrible Germans
You must be suffering frightful pain
A bullet did you say. Well. tell me
] have always wanted to know, did II
hurt worse going In or coming out?"