South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-04-03
ONLY MEMBER Of
BATTERY RETURNS
Vernon {. DoddS Served With
Canadian Army Through
the Entire War.

Vernon f. Dodds. son OF Mr and
Mrs. Charles L. Dodds. 319 y St.
Peter St. a gunner in the 18th bat
tery. End division Of Canadian
troops. IS probably South Bends
most wounded hero He has the
scars OF 20 wounds and has still II
pieces OF shrapnel ia his body. With
the exception Of Is months spent in
different hospitals. ne was on the
front almost continually for four
years.
Mr.. Dodds enlisted at Ontario.
Canada. In November. 1914. and a
short time later sailed for France.
He Is the only member Of his orig
mai battery Of IFS men that is now
I'm America. and is one Of the three
that are still alive. The ether two
are IN a hospital in England. and
viii not be recovered enough TO re-
turn 20 Canada for some months.
In Many Campaigns.
Mr.. Dodds took part in the follow
ing campaigns. Ypres. St. Eloi. Vimy
Ridge. Somme. Amiens. Arras, and
Chambrai. In a description OF the
battle Of Arras. which he stated was
the hottest one OF all. his battery
opened the barrage at o'clock in
the morning and advanced three
kilOmeters. here they got into a ma
chine gun swept woods and when a
brigade OF infantry Of 800 men went
over the top they were almost en-
tirely wiped out. only one medical
officer and is men getting back
alive. The Germans counter attack
ed the next morning and located his
battery with their barrage. killing
% and wounding every other man.
Mr. Dodds was wounded at this
time. a high explosive shell bursting
within a few yards OF the trail Of his
gun, killing and wounding the en-
tire squad OF six men.
Though only sent back TO the
hospital three times. Mr.. DOdds was
each time hit by the fragments Of a
bursting shell. which struck him in
from three 70 10 places at the same
time He has one scar in his head,
eight in his right leg, one in the
right shoulder. one in the stomach,
seven in the left leg and one in the
left arm. The pieces Of shrapnel
still in his body ne said. were not
removed for the reason that the
hospitals We're so crowded with men
that the doctors did not have time
10 operate and the wounds healed
much better and faster when not
operated upon. The most serious OF
his wounds was the one in his right
shoulder which had TO be operated
upon seven times.
Nosg I'm Good Health.
Despite his many wounds and
hardships. Mr.. Dodds is in perfect
health and does not even walk with
a limp. In speaking OF the condi-
tions during the campaigns OF 1914
and 1915. ne stated that they could
scarcely get ammunition enough 70
fight with and that his battery was
only issued a hundred rounds a
week. This they would save for an
emergency and IL any We're left at
the end OF the week they would cele
brate on Sunday by shooting it away
in a bunch at the Germans. He also
said that toward the end OF the war
in 1918 a marked difference could
be noticed IN the accuracy of the
German gunners The direct hits
were few and the gunners were not
nearly so fast as they We're In 1915.
Mr.. Dodds was just discharged
from the Canadian army a week ago
and expects 20 return 20 Canada TO
reside after an extended visit with
his parents.