Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-01-08

punishment with the Red Cross. has
oeen matter of interest not only
III Legislative and business circles
nut to the families and friends of the
many Augusta men in servica who
we're seen by Mr.. Gannett during his
ted Cross work on and behind the
firing line in France.
"hen asked for an interview by a
representative of the Journal. Mr..
,'ahnett protested that there was
nothing worth saying-that the
story mad all been told in news dis
patches and in letters from bows nt
the front and that it would soon be-
toid better by the actual fighters re.
turning from overseas.
When tsked as to his own Dersona
experiences in France, Mr.. Gannett
related them as follows:
Harris Woodman and I. who went
over together. had an uneventful
trip to France. though the way our
snlps We're escorted was a most i'm
prsEstvs sight.
we were in Paris short time and
happened by luck to be there July
"a. the great French holiday. That
night the Chateau Thierry drive be
gan and the noise of the lombard
inent. 30 or 40 miles away, awoke us
from our sleep. We had a 1uiet
time ~ long a. was in Paris. no
bombing raids. no Smelling or any
thing Mr.. Woodnan stayed longer
IMAM did. however, and was there
through bombardment.
While in Paris went to look at
the church which was wrecked by
The Big Bertha at the time so many
people were killed. It was lust bad
luck that caused so many fatalities
1t happened that the shell struck
Il supporting colu nm and tore it
down and part of the roof then col
lapsed. killing the people. As a mat
ter OF fact the Smelling Of Paris was
Il mild affair due to the fact that
the big shells had a very small ex-
piosive charge in proportion TO their
size.
From Paris we went 70 Neufcha-
teau, near where Joan Of Arc was
born. Our 2Sth Division trained in
that area during the winter of 1917
Is. From what I hear Washington 8
troops Ut Valley Forge had nothing
on some OF our boys for hardships-
many Of them didn't have sutf1-
cIent amount nf clothing, blankets.
supplies. or much Of anything else
but that is their story. not mine and
Ia better not try to tell ii.
While I was waiting for transpor-
t2tion tneaning one Flivverl
worked III one OF the hospitals at
Bazoilles sur Meuse. At this point
we're base hospitals. with a COM
bined capacity of more than l0.UoO
beds. Here I was in charge Of IS
suing Red Cross supplies ana il
vas quite lob. The wounded bows
came in in any sort OF condition. They
we're likely 20 he minus most any
thing. Sometimes they came III Just
wrapped IN 4 blanket. never did thew
have any personal belongings and
seldom any money. It was the PR
"ilege OF the Red Cross not only 20
supply them With comfort kits. but
also. as far as 1t could be obtained
With whatever else they needed
lat each hospital the Red Cross
had 4 recreation hut for the wounded.
1t which they had dances. moving
pictures and all sorts of entertain
nents.
When my Ford touring car turned
up Joined the Sixth Division OF the
Regular Army, with which re-
NAMED during my stay in France.
Red Cross men were sent with the
urrnv divisions. bv the way, at the
request Of the army itself.
When I first Joined the Sixth Di-
vision they we're Co. 900 of them scat
tered over 600 square miles AS
Red Cross Division Representative
funct:oned witt, the division sur
geOn and was attached TO the sani-
tary train under his jurisdiction. The
division had field hospitals and 4
ambulance companies.
I'VE stayed in the training area
about ten days longer ana then
moved in motor trucks a matter Of
100 20 125 miles 70 the Vosges Noun
tains in Alsace just north OF the
Swiss border. Here We relieved the
35th Division. We were there through
September and 10 the last OF October
They called 1t quiet sector. but
L was lively enough for me. It was
strictly trench warfare. with the
trenches running up and down the
sides II the mountains. We were sta
toned on a mountain fully 5000 fact
high. The supplies were brought up
on cable. The pet German pastime
was Smelling that cable and it was
wonderful The way they would lit
Il from miles awav-scmetimes the
first shot. When they broke ii We
all went hungry until they could
haul up supplies with autos and Ok
en- The oxen. by the way. had all the
advantage. for the ascent was 50
steep that the trucks heated up bad
".
One Of our Jobs there was 10
keep in touch with the medical sup
ply department and to provide them
with whatever they needed IN the
wav Of supplies that they could not
got through the regular army chan