The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1918-02-21
IN Australian Serving in France

! MS nephew, udllhe VI Australia
The writer had seen sixteen months
service when this letter was written
The letter was sent to Mrs L. a. Cas-
well of Skowhegan by New York
friend
Australian Red Cross. Nov. Il, Il
My dear Uncle
You will, no doubt, have been
thinking me very remiss in not reply
ing earlier to YOUR last letter and IN
not keeping to my promise of writing
more frequently But when | have
explained how things have been with
us during the past few weeks, then
perhaps you will judge me less hardly.
| Hope so, anyway.
But perhaps | had better first ex
plain the reason for writing from this
address
On the 29th of last month during a
fierce gas shell bombardment of the
position my company was holding, |
was unfortunate in getting more than
was good for me. You may think
that strange, seeing that our gas
masks are a perfect protection.
During a lull in the bombardment
There was a fairly stiff wind blowing
at the time) | took my mask off and
found the air quite safe but was I'M
fortunate in that the very next she'll
lobbed quite near me, killing one man
and knocking the next to me out. In
addition to the gas, | got burn from
the liquid Of the shell, on my right
forearm and am marked on the neck
and arms. Hung on the remainder Of
the night but came out at dawn with
bad eyes. Later, my throat went bad
too. However, both eyes and throat
are now nearly normal-all that re-
mains is an annoying cough and the
burns-both Of which will be quite all
right before long. So there Is moth
| ing now to worry over and very little
to talk about. The first week was
I the worst as one WAS unable to see to
| read or write, and the throat disal
lowed smoking or talking. Added to
which one had an abominable taste
and no appetite But that is now
past and gone, I'm pleased to say.
Since becoming a casualty I've had
every consideration and attention.
From the time of reporting at the
Field Ambulance right through to
here | have been looked after at every
turn. Shall | describe the experience
of a casualty? Reporting at f. A.
right up amOng the shells, placed on a
motor ambulance, swiftly traversed u
heavily sheled road to another +. A.
Put into Pajamas here. eyes and arms
dressed, placed on motor again to the
n Gt a hphin6
the lines. Made stretcher case of
me here. orderlies battle me, doctor ex
amines and marks for Base Hospital
by first train. Here the Nursing sis
ters are giving one every attention.
Later on in the day, carried on to the
Hospital train. These trains are
beautifully fitted, and there are doc
tors. sisters and orderlies aboard who
give you every attention.
Later, / was placed on motor am
bulance and taken to a Base Hospital
near the coast. Here | was put in
nice warm bed in a long Ward-how
nice those clean sheets felt again at
ter so long sleeping anywhere.
was examined here by an American
doctor tthe first representative of the
U. s. Army have yet metz and by an
English one They marked me for
England | had week at the Base
Hospital, then was sent on my motor
ambulance to train, thence to Calais.
Here the train ran on the dock along
side the steamer and German prison
ers of war carried us straight off the
train on to the ship.
One and one-half hours after leaving
i ~ LII NJ tnd
straight off the ship on to the train
Some hours later, the train stopped.
right here in the Hospital, and ! was
carried off the train right into the
Ward where l write this. This will
give you some idea of the way casu-
atty comes through-with the mini
mum of discomfort.
Here | am receiving splendid treat
ment and am wanting for nothing The
Hospital Is in number OF fine build
ings, which at the time war broke out,
was being erected as an asylum. but
was, on completion converted into its
present use 1t contains 2,110 beds,
I'm told, has a Nursing staff Of 400
and there are 300 other employees
not including medical staff. SO it is
no small show. Things are quiet
here, and after the noise and turmoil
of Flanders, one can enjoy a bit of
quiet life.
So much about myself Now as
regards your letter-Fm sorry to say
it Is in France, so l am Obliged to
reply by memory. First of all l
must thank you for your letter-you
always seem to write a letter which
bucks chap up bit. Not that at
the time I received it | was exactly
down in the dumps but it was just
when we all wanted bit of squirting,
for the evening after we took up our
position prior to the great attack on
the morning of Sept Goth, and it is a
popularity to be noticed among Aus
tralians when moving to the line,
everyone is grim and silent-a joke
Is almost unknown. | remember on
one occasion passing the whole of one
OF our divisions moving up in long
lines. and one could not but notice 1t.
Not that we are worse than other
| troops for that. We have had big
part, as you will no doubt have read,
in the recent doing in Flanders, and
my opinion Of our fellows has been
increased tenfold since.
Never will l forget the 4th of Octo-
Der, 1917, and proud l will always be
to be an Australian after what l saw
on that day particularly. But I'm
depressing. You would have me re-
member that passage "The Eternal