Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-02-24
IRISH GIRL WRITES
OF MILES OF BODIES
Fights in Ranks Of Serbian Army
and Pays High Tribute to
It's Troops.
WOUNDED IN MANY BATTLES
After Retreat Through Albania to
DuraZZO, She AbandonS Her
Nurse Garb and Joins the Second
Infantry Regiment.
international News rurcau.I

VI.
irhc following article. describing tho
terrible position OF the serbian army. has
ssrn Espcsa IL, S Tr,'ea , f%r this pn9er ~
who. after serving in serbia as ." ICED
Cross nurse enlisted IN the Serbian army
ing. and received twenty four WOUNDS ono
action. ,r"motch L" the rank OF sergeant
blnn y. C. for her bravery In the field.
as well as three other high decorat tons
Iou ask me to write something about
the Scrbians. TO tell you what led me
to join the Serbian army as a private
soldier and heh, with them in tho
trenches against the common foe. I
come from Kerry. in ireland. and have
always been struck by the similarity
and temperament between the Serbian
and the Irish peasant.
After sharing the terrible hardships
OF the two years campaign in the
Balkans, fighting all the time. | can
find nothing but praise for the Ser
bian soldier, who is brave as a lion.
scif-sacriiicinG TO the end and never
wavcring. care not where you look.
no nation now engaged in the war
has had to suffer like little Serbia. yet
to-day the spirit OF those few who
remain is undauntcd--thcy arc deter
mined to fight through at all costs until
when tho last man and the last woman
have given up their lives.
went out to Serbia as nurse in
August. 1919. being ono Of the party Of
women tscven in AID TO go TO nurse
the Serbs. We were taken out By
Nine. Gruitch. and for months we
tended the wounded soldiers in the
Serbian hospital at kragujcwatz. work
ing under Serbian surgeons and under
the Serbian Red Cross. At that time
there were no other British nurses
there. but some Russian nurses were
assisting the Serbs.
Towards the end Of 1915 returned
10 Britain to tell the people OF the
intense suffcrinEs Of tho Serbs. ano
went back to the Balkans in time to
take part in the great retreat o, the
Serbians.
RcinE unable. owing TO tho Austrian
invasion. to rejoin the Serbian IIospital.
"hcrc had been working, asked for
ana obtained permission TO join the
ambulance OF the Second Infantry Reg
incht' but as soon as tho retreat be-
gan VIC had to cvacuatc our wounded.
and there being no moro work for mo
to do rs a nurse. I enlisted in tho rcgi
staying with them would encourage
the men.
With the Second Regiment retreat
cd through Albania TO Durazzo. re-
treat which lasted two months. during
most OF which time we were fghting
rear-guard actions with the Aus,rians
and the Bulsars.
The horrors OF that terrible retreat
viii never be fully told. As we passed
through the villages we rounded w all
the boys. taking them with US TO pre-
vent their falling into the hands OF the
BulSars. The poor little things could
not stand the rigors OF the march. and
thousands Of them died by the road
side. For miles their bodies lay. mark
Ing the pathways we had followed
From DurazZo we were sent 10 Corfu
where we were rehtted. then sent 10
Saloniki and, after resting. once more
went to the front in August. 1916. and
from then until the following January
we were lighting day and night. with
out even being relieved.