Norwich bulletin., 1918-03-09
CHAPTER xxvI1-eehtinued.


 The doctor very tenderiy removed my bandages and told me after view ing my wounds, tilat he would have to take me te tie operating theatre immediately. Personally, < didn't care what was done with me.
 In a few minutes, four orderlies who looked slike uhdertakers dressed in white. brought a stretcher to my i, bed, and placing me on it carried me out of the ward across a courtyard to the operating room or pictures ' don't remember having the an iIaesthetio applied.
 When I came to was again lying i in a bed in Munsey Ward. One of the nurses had draped a large American ] fiag over the head of the bed, and i: clasped in my hand was smaller ! flag and it made me feel good all over to again see the Stars and i Stripese
 At that time wondered when the 1 boys in the trenches would see the 1 emblem of the Hand of the free and the home of the brave" beside them l doing it's bit in this great war of civilization.
 My wounds were very painful and several times at night 1 Would dream I that f1yrads of khaki clothed figures wcald pass my bed and each would stop bend oyer me and whisper, The best of luck, mate"
 Soaked with precipitation 1 would
 awake with a cry, and the night nurse
 would come over and hold my hand
 This awakening got to be habit
 with me, until that particular nurse was transferred to another ward. In three weeks time, owing ito the
 careful treatment received I was ablt to sit up and get my bearings Oul
 ward contained seventy five patients ninety per cent. of whom were surgi fcal cases. At the head of each beG hung a temperature chart and diag nosis sheet Across this sheet woui. be written e. $. W" or IS. w." tn, former meaning Gun Shot Wound ant the latter Shell Wound The IS. w predominated especially among tn Royal Field Artillery and Royal En
 gineers.
 About forty different regiment
 were represented and many argu ments ensued as to the reSpectiv fighting ability of each regiment. Tn 1, | rivalry was wonderful A Jock argu ] ing with an Irishman. then a stron
 Cockney accent would butt in in favo
 of London regiment. Before lon f Welshman followed by membe y of a Yorkshire regiment. and,a per = haps a Canadian intruded themselve t and the argument waxed loud an furious. The patients in the beds sta1 d howiing for them to settle their dis
 pute outside and the ward is in a d uproar. The head sister comes alon : and with wave of the hand com d p1etely routs the doughty warrior = and again silence reigns supreme, $ Wednesday and Sunday of eae t. week were visiting days and wei n looked forward to by the men, becau. 1T they meant parcels containing frui
 sweets or flags. When a patient hs y a regular visitor he was general ot kept we'll supplied with these deiic; Id cies. Great jealousy is shown amor l. the men as to their visitors and ma1 ot word wars ensue after the visito d, leave,
 1t When a man is sent to convale id cent home, he generally turns ov It his steady visitor to the man in t
 next bed
 l. Most visitors have autograph 3 n buns and bore Tommy to his dea "a by asking him to write the particula at of his wounding in same. Sever nt Tommies try to duck this unpleasa o- job by telling the, visitor that he ca T. not write, but this never phases t ce owner of the album; he or she, ge
 erally she offers to write it for hi IS and Tommy is stung into telling es experiences.
 at The questions asked Tommy by vi " itors would make a clever joke bo ns to a military man.
 Some kindly looking old lady W
 stop at your bed and in a sympathe in voice address you: You poor b, te wounded by those terrible German
 You must be suffering frightful pa