The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1919-01-30
EARL SCR|BNER TELLS
HOW He GOT FIRST HUN
MinOt Soldier Returns From France
Where He Participated in the
Great Battle of Chateau Thier.
ry, and Where He Was
Wounded

from France Friday after serving
over eighteen months with the Am
erican forces. Earl was a member of
ID company which left Minot in Oct
ODER, 1917. Within two weeks after
the company arrived in France the
greater portion of the privates from
both D company and A company were
sent to the front near Toul where
they were stationed as reserves be-
hind the French lines. On January
~, Earl's birthday-and by the way,
the birthday of the Kaiser also-Earl
saws he had the pleasure of tossing
whiz- bangs, as they called the hand
grenades, over into German trenches.
which were but a few feet distant
from the front line trenches which the
American forces occupied. He said
that generally speaking that partic-
ular sector was rather quiet but he
had to do something to celebrate his
birthday and remind the Huns that
the boys were up to "snuff" in the
current history Of Kaiser Bill. He
says he had thrown but two or three
when the captain called halt, say
ing there was no use stirring up
hornets nest. On May Earl was
gassed, his body still showing the eff
feet of the horrible mustard gas. He
spent two months in base hospital,
at first being speeches. and with one
side of his face paralyzed. They had
just gotten back into the line when
orders came to start for Chateau
Thierry. The order came just as they
were ready to sit down to beefsteak
supper. The meat was all cooked and
the chef was placing it on the tables.
They fell in at once as the order was
imperative. They proceeded by motor
trucks but he says they could have
made as good time afoot as the fire.
quent stops occasioned by engine
trouble or congestion made progress
slow. They arrived at their destina-
ton just at nightfall. Here lin a.
dense wood about thirty or forty of
the Minot boys, members of compan-
les A, D and l, who were brigaded
near each other, congregaued that
night and enjoyed a joyous reunion.
Their regiment was known as the
Sunset division, They were all in the
front lines with the Marines in sup
port in the rear. The following day
the big battle, when the Hun was
checked in his big drive toward the
French capital ensued. That day
Earl fell, his breast bone shattered
into fragments by shrapnel she'll
Within five minutes he says aid ar
rived and attendants applied first aid
in the shape Of bandages. The hole
torn in his neck and throat exposes
the jugular vein and for months his
life was despaired Of. Finally after
the third operation surgeons discov-
cred a piece of his shirt had become
drawn into the wound, preventing it's
healing. After the removal of this
his recovery was rapid and the wound
closed readily. He still treasures as
a souvenir the piece of shrapnel that
caused the principal damage. At first
he was in a Paris hospital but later
was transferred to base hospital at
Vichy. Later he was sent to Savanay
until ordered back to the States. The
return trip was made on the George
Washington, arriving November 49,.
This is the same boat on which Pres
ident Wilson travelled on his trip to
Europe. He remained at New York
for couple of weeks and then was
sent to Camp Dodge and mustered
out
Speaking of conditions, Earl says
there was period of ten and one
half months that he received no paw
from the government. but says this
was not uncommon among the dough-
boys. He accounts for this by saying
that possibly his frequent transfers
prevented the paymasters from locat-
ing him. He mentions several trips
made into No Mans Land One night
as he with two companions lay in a
thicket out in No Mans Land a par
ty of 80 Boches came toward them.
They could plainly see the party by
the light of the flares sent up at fire.
quent intervals. They came directly
toward the little party Of Americans
but just as they got to the edge of the
thicket they changed their course and
the boys breathed mighty sigh of
relief. Earl says they knew if dis
covered they would all be killed but
had their grenades and rifles all ready
and were prepared to sell their lives
as dearly as possible.
Earl called at the Independent Of
flee on his birthday, january 81, and
Salu CHaI on january ~, 1910, ne was
in the trenches at the front. Not
many American boys have experien-
ced the privations and sufferings that
this North Dakota lad went through
prior to attaining their majority. He
mentions one coincidence that is wor-
thy of mention. On Thanksgiving day,
1917, he with several others were in
vited by "a New York family to share
their Thanksgiving feast and again
on Thanksgiving day, 1919, he with
others were entertained by family
named Mccall in New York city. He
says the Red Cross hospital trains
used in France were magnificent. The
interior of each car was finished in
white and in these trains the wound
ed were transferred from one base
hospital to another. He commented
in no uncertain manner on the work.
ings of the Y. M. C. A., saying the
boys were obliged to pay 40 cents per
package for cigarettes and in many
instances cartons were found which
had been donated as could be plain
4 IT,, L.