Carrizozo outlook. [volume] (Carrizozo, N.M.) 1910-1945, 1919-02-21

IN UTMOST us htfnlgnt ns you cOulu
draw II with a ruler.
or course II knocked me down and
I hit my head n pretty hard crack on
the steel deck. but I was able TO crawl
on 10 tho turret door. Just as l was
about 20 enter the gun was fired. That
particular charge happened to be. de-
f~estlve. The shell split and caused q
back fire and the cordite. fire and gas
camo through thu breech. which the
explosion had opened.
II must have been a piece OF cordite
which did H. but whatever II was. II
lift me In the right eye and blinded II.
The ball OF the eye was saved by the
French surgeons and looks normal, but
Il pains me greatly sometimes and
they tell me II will always be sight
less.
I was unconscious Immediately from
the blow and from the quantity Of gns
which I must hive swallowed. This
gas did m a great deal Of damage
and gives inc dizzy spells often to this
day. l do not know what happened
during the rest OF the engagement, as
I did not regain consciousness until
three days later ut sea. But l heard
In the hospital that the French super
dreadnhught Jeanne dare and the
light cruiser Normandy we're In II ms
we'll as ourselves, though not at the
time ! was wounded, and that we had
all been pretty well battered. The
Cassard lost 90 men In the engage
ment and had as wounded. Some OF
our turrets were twisted into all man.
ner Of shapes and part OF u bow
was carried away. Ono Of our lieu
tenants was killed in the engagement.
! was told that both the VERT and
the Kaiserllche Marine were sunk In
this engagement. l have seen pictures
OF sailors from the VERT who were
prisoners at interment camps.
When we arrived mt Brest the
wounded were taken from the ship In
stretchers and after we had been rest
ed for about fifteen minutes on the
dock put into ambulances and rushed
TO the hospital. On the way those who
could leaned out OF the ambulance and
had n great time with the people along
the streets. many Of whom they knew,
for the Cassard was a Brest ship. And
Of curse the women and children
yelled. "vive Ia Francei" and were
glad to see this boys again. even
though they we're badly done up.
Some OF our men we're bandaged
all over the face and head and It was
funny when they had TO tell their
names to old friends OF theirs. who
did not recognize them. As soon as
one OF the Brest people recognized a
friend OF he would so to get cigarettes
and other things for him and some OF
them almost beat us TO the hospital.
I do aot know, OF course, Just what
tho surgeons did to me, but l heard
that they had my eyeball out on my
cheek for almost two hours. Al any
rate they saved It. The thigh wounds
were not dangerous in themselves and
II IL had not been for the rough treat
ment they got later on they would be
quite healed by this time, l en- sure,
l really think l got q little extra at.
tention In the hospital In many ways,
for the French were at all times aux.
ious 70 show their friendilness 10
America. Every time my meals were
served there was n little American
} flag on the platter and always a large
American flag draped over the bed. |
} had everything i wanted given to me
at nee and when l was able to, all
/ the cigarettes I could smoke. which
were not many.
While l was still In bed In the hos
! pltal l received the Croix dc 0uerre
which l had won at the DardanelIes
The presentation was made by Lieu
, tenant Barley. He pinned an Ameri
can nag on my breast. a French fiae
beneath II and beneath that the wal
cross. He kissed the on both cheeks
OF course. which was taking advantage
OF a cripple. But II II the usual thinl
, with the French, as you know-I NEAR
I the kissing, not the meanness Il
cripples.
/, When he had pinned the medal OF
he said he Thanked me from the bot
J tom OF his heart for the French people
] and also thanked all the Americana
; who had come v Q from their OWE
: land 10 help a country with which
most Of them were not connected. Hs
said II was a wal 10 which many ma.
: tons were taking part but in which
there we're Just two ideas, freedom
and despotism, and a lot more things
} that ! cannot remember. He finished
by saying that he wished he could dec,
orate all OF US.
OF course II was great stun for me
and I thought ! was the real thlna
sure enough, but ] could no: hell
thinking OF the remark I have heard