Putnam patriot., 1929-06-13
The Discomforts of War Begin
 Trying to Get to France
Percy Wentworth, Now of Putnam,
 One of Pair

1 Percy Wentworth has been a Put nam citizen for several years. He is at present employed at the Chandler < Morse store. It is known that Mir. : Wentworth is an ex-service man. IL is known that he was overseas. Until special story writer in the Provi- dence Journal told the tale it was not known how Mir. Wentworth enter ed the foreign legion. The story is an interesting one and is given here with:
 This is the story of two heroes who went A. ". o. L. from the army in war time for patriotic reasons.
 Quite often, men go X. W. 0. l.. from the army because they are not heroes; their stories make rather dis maj reading. It is the exception that proves the rule land provides for pleasanter fiction.
 And since this story is all fact and no fiction, that makes it pleasanter still. Ii was told not 80 long ago, at a reunion of the Sixty-sixth Regi- ment, C. A. C., and anybody who is acquainted with the veterans of the Sixty-sixth Regiment know that they are not given to romancing.
 Furthermore, the two heroes of this tale were present at the recital of it and did net contradict it in any particular. They did not deny that they had been A. W. o. l.. although being A. w. O. L. is considered a terrible disgrace in the Army, if caught at it, as any veteran will tell you who ever skipped camp and stole a ride to Paris.
 In the Army-Butl
 Back in 1918, when the world was waiting for a crack in the linden burg line and most young Americans were praying for a crack at it, Percy Wentworth who hailed from Provi- dence, and George Washington, form erly of Pawtucket. were among the members of the Medical Detachment at Fort Adams.
 Both were aflame with patriotism both were athirst for adventure. They craved to ride ambulances over she'll torn roads; to succor the wounded on the field of battle, to take part in the war in a large way.
 Instead of that. they found them selves sitting up with sick friends and emptying buckets in the safety and tranquility of Fort Adams. They were disappointed but not disheartened.
 For. they consoled themselves, by rigid devotion to duty, no matter how unromantic and colorless il might appear, they might steel them selves for mere valiant service later on.
 The enthusiasm with which they performed their humble tasks did at tract the attention of their superior officers who manifested their appre citation by promoting Wentworth t' the rank of sergeant and elevatinl Washington, who was dubbed Martha" by his friends, to the dig l unity of eorporalcy.
 [ Fame Strictly Localized But, through some oversight, o , perhaps it was because of jealousy II the high places, their merits were not brought to the attention of th' Secretary of War. Even the Divi sional Commander was unaware tha his army was honored by their pres ence.
 So it happened that when the Six ty- sixth Regiment was organized out of the various units of the Narragan sett Bay Defences, Wentworth anC Washington were not among those who were elected for immediate duty overseas.
 That was a bitter pill to swallow Between themselves, Wentworth anc : Washington figured that the Secre tarv of War or somebody had made a grave mistake in overlooking then in favor of less promising material and they speedily resolved to recti. fy official error.
 On the evening of the day when the Sixty-sixth Regiment entrainec for Boston, there was a great hue and cry at Fort Adams. Suffering sol diers in the sick bay called feebly and vainly for Sergt. Wentworth and Corp. Washington. But Wentworth and Washington were not there any more. They had departed unoiiiciallS but their departure was not the less complete.
 And at the moment when they were being soiemniy recorded as Absent Without Leave" at Fort Adams, they were having troubles of their own many miles from Newport.
 Under the Blankets
 They were hiding beneath the seats cf a troop train, sweating under a pile of blanket rolls that had been dumped upon them by kindly com rades to conceal them from the eyes of the officers.
 Al Boston. Wentworth and Wash ington emerged from their places Of concealment and iurtively made their way Co. the dock. There they tried to register ncnchalance while they watched the khaki lines filing aboard the gray transport
 In pursuance of a prearranged plan. two of their buddies who had fsafned the deck of the liner. threw