The Topeka state journal., 1919-03-05
MeGiffert Tells House of Troops
That Stopped Huns.
Puzzled Teutons Thought Ma
rines Were Fierce Algerians.
WAS SCARED WHEN WOUNDED
Injuries So Painful He Asked
Nurse To Leave Room.
But She Stayed and Said, 'Toa
Did Pretty Well, Boy

In thirty minute speech before
the Kansas house OF Representatives
today, Sergt- Robert McGiffsrt told Of
the he'll in the fighting which stopped
the Germans at Chateau Thierry-
Sergeant McGiffert left leg on the
field OF battle and suffered seventeen
wounds. He said the Marines which
stopped the Hun drive were one of the
best trained organizations in the
world
In three days before we went into
the line, the Germans had driven the
French back 30 miles, said the
speaker. The French had been out
numbered ten to one It was the mo-
tor transports and the French T5ts
that saved Paris and France Once
eur organization was SO badly crippled
that had the Germans been able to
mass a few extra troops and launch
a counter attack, they would have had
a straight road thru France and into
Paris"
Sergeant McGtffert asserted that the
German mass fighting was their great
est strength In q skirmish line they
were no match for allied troops, he
said
When We went in the Germans
first thought We were AIzeriaus-the
fierce fighters who cut off ears and
refuse to give up their trophies even
VIXEN sent back to the hospitals. The
Germans ahead of Us didn't know the
JEited States had troops in France,
much less in the lines.
True Democracy in Lines
You get true democracy III those
II front hnes-where every man digs in
for himseIf-sven and including the
captain And they dig in quickly and
most willingly.
The day was wounded the
stretcher bearers picked up the man
next TO me first His arm fell out OF
his sIeeve-right on my neck-when
+aey picked him up. About fifteen
minutes later they came back fer me.
I guess I got scared that day-or shell
shocked or something As they car
ried me down a ravIne. I felt every
| time shell came over that It had my
name written all over it. One shell
did come pretty close and the stretch
er men laid me down and ran Then
they pus me in an ambulance But a
man above me bIed SO profuseIy that
blood spIattered all over my face.
They removed 4 baudage when I
reached the hospital It hurt so bad
/ " I asked the nurse TO leave the
pain any longer. I had to let loose.
/ Then she walked over and laid a hand
on my head and said, .Dearfe, If there
rs anything I haven't heard, ge ahead.
7 guess I viii hear it sooner or later
anyway. Altar IT was over she patted
my head and said, Well, my boy, you
| surely did pretty well The praise
+ for those doctors and nurses cannot
| be too great Often I have known
nurses TO stay on the job twelve and
/ fourteen hours without q rest period
i when they were expected TO be re-
I lieved at the end OF seven or eight
/ hours"
/ Over the Top Smiling
/ Sergeant McGfffert praised this
spirit of the American fighting sforcez
! One day the boys suggested ws
sing something" he said. It though
| it would be Lead Kindly Light OF
Nearer My God to Thee But eut
doHghboy yelled out, Let's sing .ePacE
Your Troubles in the Old Kit Box and
Smile. Smile, SmiIe.''' Less than ffyi
/ minutes later the call came and W.
went over the top-most of the boy
still smiling"