South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-12-05
PASTOR WRITES
Of EXPERIENCES
Lieut.. Lord Gives Details of
Engagement in Which
He Was GaSSed.

letter from Lieut.. James Aus
ten Lord. "a chaplain with the A. T..
r. I'm France. has been received by
Dir. and Mrs. r. T. Wolfe Of River
Park. telling ia detail Of the incident
OF his being Eassed Lieut.. Lord
Was formerly pastor OF the River
Park church. lie left here in June
II this year and after completing
"a six weeks course at Camp Taylor.
KY. was sent directly overseas. He
passed his physical examination at
amp Taylor with the highest mark
among 900 chaplains. Portions Of
his letter follow
"Oct. o..
81 am most sure that you will
forgive any mistakes or kind OF
whiting I may send. for as I write
am lying here in my bed in central
southern France Here not at my
own choice but because OF the afro
cious Hun, u am in the hospital
with a beautiful CD prospect of 10
weeks before they liberate me.
81 am very glad TO be able to
write and let you know that ] am
alive. The past seven weeks have
been so fun or activity for me that
have had very little opportunity to
write.
Meets His Waterloo.
First 7 know you are anxious %
know where I met my Waterloo and
how Well Il was on the famous
battle fields Of Verdun. not very far
from the famous Sedan. on Mon
day afternoon. Oct. Il. went with
my colonel up to the very front
line and then we went 100 yards be-
yond our men TO see that everything
was o. K. OF course that close TO
,he Germans. for they were distant
only 100 yards they made it very
hot FOR us but 7 managed to get i'm
hole where they could not hit me
direct. Ny colonel had one leg
nearly shot off BY machine gun fire
and then a shell burst near him
and wounded him further Well. all
that night / lay there I'm that hole
with Jerry throwing gas shells and
high explosives continually. Ny gas
mask was off one minute and on the
next T would lie there and hea~
the scream OF coming she'll. then
I would huddle closer TO the side Of
the hole and pray IL would not get
me. got phOsgene and mustard
gas galore To counteract il T I
smoked three cigarets, the first I
have smoked IN France. and they
saved my life 7 haven't smoked
any since. so you see ] still hold TO
my resolve.
eft was $3.50 O'Clock TUESDAY
morning. Oct 10. before there was
any lull IN the battle and I got mp
on my feet Immediately / threw
up everything 7 ever ate or owned
and some things 7 never did own
II seemed as if the world was turn
ed wrong side out Nv mission was
10 see the needs of the first aid sta
tiOn and secure stretcher bearers for /
the wounded 7 took one sergeant
with r3e soon as we could dodge
through shells. and started back for
help. We had 20 run and flop and
everything else 90 get out safely and
my wind failed me- tt was then
that I was sure I was g8ssed 10
took me three hours TO go four
MlOmeters and 7 was completely T.
worn out and unable 10 go any fur
Their. However. I secured so men t.
go back with my sergeant to carry
wounded. so 7 felt 7 had accom-
plished my task. Six hours later the
sergeant came back gassed and told
me three men had been killed In the
very spot where I lay all night and
not an hour after 7 left the same
We cannot tell how we ever es-
capped or pulled through. except that
God watches and rules over u.s.
Long Way 10 Hospital.
The sergeant and then began
"a weary march 10 the hospital ana &c
was only Yesterday that Z finally
reached this hospital Here [ am
TO stay until able TO be about I'll
have heard the cannon roar and
seen so much that man should
never be called upon TO witness. until
now feel = II never want the
word war spoken i'm my hearing. 20
I know YOU viii excuse me if 7 say
no more about what we are in
"As 90 myself only a word The
mustard gas was the worst of the
two with me. have almost entire
IS lost my voice. and my lungs.
stomach and throat are an raw
They paint my throat inside with
iodine. and TIL wager YOU can
imagine me going straight into the
air when thev do. Then they are
Keeping medicine in my eyes. but
my right eve is the only one that
causes me worry
I will be appreciative II YOU will
tell the good people OF River Park
That 7 am still able 20 kick and the
hoche win find me ready for him
soon ain unless ne uses something
stronger next time"