The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1919-05-02

bullets, one through the left cheek,
the other two through the left Shout
der, while engaged in a trench raid
for prisoners, and was on my journey
to Blighty.
remember being carried down a
flight Of steps and placed on white
table in brightly lighted room, a
doctor and sergeant bending over
me--a delicious drink of ale, then the
whispered word "chloroform some
thing like gas helmet being placed
over my nose and mouth, couple of
long, indrawn, gasping breaths, d
rumbling in my ears; then the skyline
of New York suddenly appeared. This
was quickly followed by the Statue
Of Liberty shaking hands with the
Singer building; rushing, Kissing
sound in my ears, like escaping steam.
and then-blackness.
I opened my. eyes. / was lying on
n stretcher, covered with blankets, in
a low-roofed, wooden building. Across
the way from me was long row of
stretchers, each stretcher holding a
wounded Tommy, some lying fiat, 9th
ers propped up by folded blankets.
Others were sitting on their stretchers
tenderly caressing an arm bound up
with white bandages.
Occasionally stretcher, reclining
on which was muddy and bloody
soldier, would be carried down the
aisle by two stretcher bearers. This
stretcher would he placed in an open
space In the row opposite.
I could hear hum of conversation
all about me, and as my brain cleared
snatches of it became Ineligible.
My right hand seemed to be in q
wise. l could not release it. Squirm-
Ing In bed, which sent sharp, shoot
ing pain through my left shoulder, l
tried with my unbandaged eye to see
what was holding my wrist.
A Royal Army Medical corps man
was sitting on the floor at the head of
my stretcher, and had my wrist in his
grasp. He was about twenty years
old, and looked dog-tired; his chin
would gradually sink to his chest, as
II he were falling asleep; then he
would suddenly start, lift up his head
with jerk, and stare around the
room. Pretty soon his eyelids would
slowly close. I gave my arm a tug
and he quickly opened his eyes; then
across his face flashed a smile. To
me 1t appeared like the sun rising from
behind hill at daybreak. That smile
sent warm glow through me. be-
lieve that right then l was in love
with his boyish face. Then he opened
his mouth and. as Is usual in such
cases, spoiled it all:
"Strafe me pink, but you do tyke
your own bloomin' time to come out
o. chloroform. Ere I've been, bloody
well balmy, q 'oldin' your bloomin'
pulse"
Out of the corner Of my mouth !
asked him:
"Where am II"
Still smiling, he hailed a stretcher
bearer across the way.
II sye, 'Awkins, this Brighter wants
a bloemin' map of Frawnce; e wants
to know where e is"
'Awkins. across the way, answered /:
'Tell i'm 'e's bloomin' well in Sam
Isaac's fish 'ouse down Tottenham
Court Road, awaitin' for is order O.
fish aud chips"
This brought general laugh from
the Tommies opposite me and on my
right and left.
Somewhat incensed at their merri-
ment. 1 retorted:
"Qult your kidding; for the love Of
Mike, have some sense. What's the
matter? Am / woundedT
The stretcher bearer, still with the
sunny smile ON his face, which made
me feel little ashamed at my resent
ment. answered:
NAV, you amt wounded. myte.
You just 'appened to fall down in
blinkin' tanks crawled over you"
This rather frightened me, and in
a pleading voice I asked:
please tell me; what is the matter
with meT'
The stretcher bearer leaned over
and read from a little tag pinned to
my tunic:
&c. S. w. left face-(two) left
shoulder. Cot"
Then he carried on:
''H'it means that you ave a rife
bullet through the left side of -FOUR
clock (face) and two bullets through
your left shoulder, and that you're a
cot case, which means that you won't
ave to bloody well walk. Two of US
poor blokes viii ave to carry you on
stretcher. You sure are lucky
oioke; pretty cushy, calls It,"
/ asked him II the wounds were good
or Blighty.
He answered:
''Yes, you're coed for Blighty, and
70 a-thinkin' that they're good for u