Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1919-05-01
SGT, BURTON SLOAN
HOME AFTER TEN
MONTHS 1T FRONT
Men Who Couldn Read,
Says, Read Bibles When
Shells Were Dropping.

First Sergeant Burton J. Sloan, s0H
of Mr.. and Mrs. Burton Sloan, West
Fourth avenue has returned to his
home here after 10 months service
with the A. E. f. in France Mr.
Sloan was discharged from Texas
rehabilitation camp Il few days
ago, after being in several GONZALES
cent camps in France, recovering
from the effects of gas and shrap-
rel wound in the knee.
Mr.. Sloan is we'll known here, and
was member of the graduating
class at the High school in 1913. He
was prominent in High school foot
ball athletics, and ranked high in his
class in scholastic work. Following
his graduation. he attended Sewanee
University at Sewanee, Tenn
Mr.. Sloan enlisted in the service
shortly after the United States en-
tered the war, and in June, 1918, sail
cd for foreign service. AS a member
of the Goth Division, he was III sev-
era1 drives, on several different
fronts. 1t was in the latter actVi-
ties of the 9t0h that he received his
wound, and was gasses.
Led His Platoon.
AS first sergeant Of his company,
he lead platoon into action on two
occasions, and in each instance, when
the objective was reached, found
! himself the ranking member of the
company, his officers having been
killed.
81 took a platoon out once to
stretch some barbed Wire" he said.
eve hadn't been out very long when
the Germans began dropping 1885"
over at US. The "8S" was the only
shell we couldn't Judge We would
hear whistle, and then almost
| Immediately following-bang!
"When they started dropping these
shells, of course we hit the ground,
and we were not very particular
where we hit. l dropped behind a
sapling about two inches in diameter
and lay there until the Smelling was
over. When it ceased, | tried to get
up, but found there were about six
bodies on top of me. | didn't know
they were there"
Mr.. Sloan says his greatest fear
was of showing his fear. 'Im quite
frank to admit" he said, chat | was
afraid--a lot of times, but the
greatest fear I had was that with
the responsibility l had, would show
to the men that l was afraid.
Nurses His Fear.
"a fellow over there" he said,
''takes a number of things into con-
sideration when he becomes afraid
He has pride of family name; he
has pride of family characteristics.
He has line of ancestors who have
demonstrated that they were not cow
ards. When he becomes afraid, we'll
he Just won't let anybody know he is
afraid, that's all"
Ali soldiers who were in the battle
lines were very religious, he stated.
when they were in a tight place"
he said "they would pray, ooh Lord,
| just let me get out of this scrape, and
I'll be good forever Some of them
get out, and-well, some of them
forget then.
''All of the soldiers on the western
front had Bible" he said. "And
they kept it right handy too Those
who could read, read it often. And
those who couldn't read-Pve seen
lots of those who couldn't read or
write crouched down in a dug out
while the Germans were sending over
big shells, with their Bible opened
and their eyes glued to the pages,
even though they couldn't read what
the printed page portained."
| Was Infantryman.
Mr.. Sloan was in infantry regi-
ment, and as doughboy he was one
of the many fine men who bore the
real brunt of the fighting. He was
one Of the lads who were down in
the mud and muck, who, when there
was anything impossible to do, went
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