Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-03-20


Woodbine. March 20.-It is doubtful
If there is man among the hundreds
of Iowa soldiers who were disabled in
the war with Germany and who lived
to return home. as badly or more
thoroughly disabled than was George
Bolt son of Mr.. and Mrs. J. II. Bolt.
OF Woodbine, who was member OF
Company NJ, of Red Oak. 1t is also a
question II any passed thru more
narrowing experience than did Private
Bolt and lived thru it. His friends,
who have seen him and have learned
of his remarkable experience look upon
him with wonder and amazement.
Private Bolt had both ears burned
off close to his head and he lost both
his hands, small portion of one hand
only being left. His face was also
SCARED with burns. but to see him to-
day. full Of confidence and spirit that
wins is to inspire feeling of enth as
iasm and pride in him and his kind
Bolt is extremely 10th to talk IF his
experiences and it is from others that
much of the details of the fearful
events thru which Bolt and his COM
patfions passed. have been secured.
1t was in the Lorraine on May %.
1918 that Bolt received his injuries.
He was acting as messenger for Lieu
tenant McElvane, of Company NJ, 16sth
infantry. The lieutenant Sergeant
Glen Hobbs, Of Red Oak. Privates Max
Hubbell and Irwin Connolly, of Atlantic
and Private Bolt. all of Company M.
were in dugout. their headquarters.
NJ - %S,o IN IL ufr oh
them six inch shell came thru the
roof of the dusout. killing Lieutenant
McElvane, Sergeant Hobbs and
Privates Hubbell and Connolly. There
may have been others in the dugout,
This fact has never been clearly shown
but some Of the soldiers who were in
that vicinity and some Of whom cared
for Bolt believe there were others.
The men were horribly mutilated by
the exploding she'll McElvane's body
was cut in two. the top Of Hobbs head
was blown off and Hubbell was lit
orally blown to pieces.
Imprisoned in Dugout.
In the dugout were about 200 rockets
used for making signals. When the
shell exploded Bolt was rendered UNI
conscious and when he ssga;aed his
! senses found the esca pc frnmsthe dug
out had been cut off. Il The door had
caved in. George tainted again and
while in this unconscious state res
}cIers dug him Aout and rendered first
aid, then he was hurriedly taken to a
hospital s4
He was in hospitals at Baccarrat t,
Vittel and Savonay and sailed for
home at Rrest Aug. 49,. He landed at
Newport News and was taken to a
hospital at Cape May. N. j., where he
has been for months receiving treat
ment and where he will return to have
new eak grated upon his head and
where he will be given artificial hand .
The remarkable reconstruction work
of the American surgeons is already
visible in Bolts case and 1t is de-
cla-ed that when he has received his
final touching up of nature he will be.
to all outward appearances. normal
man. M ,gs
Sergeant Theodore NJ. Metzger OF
Council! Bluffs who was member Of
the sanitary detachment of the 16Sth
infantry, commanded by Major Conk-
| lin, remembers the killing Of these men
and the wounding Of Private Bolt. for
he and others of the detachment were
Ison duty nearby and cared for Bolt i'm
imediately after his injury. The shell
that killed the men was twenty inches
long. The roof Of the dugout was
made Of rocks, logs and dirt and was
twelve feet thick.