The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1944-03-07
Thomson
Continued From Pare

: ish war goods, Americans would
demand cash on the line" be-
, fore sending a boatload TO Eur
ope, the Nazi planners figured
according TO the Afrika Korps
veteran. And Europe didn't
have the cash. ./.
Except for Lend Lease, Eng
land and Russia would now be
beaten TO their knees, the Nazi
reasoned.
Thomson at the age of As
years and five months, has been
relieved from active army serv-
ice, and is now in the emergency
reserve corps. He is "home' Wis
iting with Mr.. and Mrs. Macy
E. Watkins, and shortly expects
TO continue his personal war eff
fort by doing defense work.
Ever a keen analyst and OBJ
server. Thomson added trem-
endously 10 his broad philosophy
Of life, engendered during serv-
ice in World War l, while serv-
ing in North Africa.
To the memories of Passchen-
dale, Ypres, Lens, Arras, Vimy
Ridge, Hill 60 and st. Quentin,
where deep mud and bitter cold
usually prevailed, Thomson has
added the sandy vista, colorful
sights and unforgettable smells
of Casablanca, Algiers, Tunis,
Bizerte and a score of filthy
Arab villages.
BULLETS TO PENCILS
From attending hard-hitting
trench mortars on the Western
Front during l6 months contin-
uous service in World War |,
Thomson graduated to record
keeping in the first large gener-
al hospital set up for casualties
in the North African campaign
of World War II.
All his reactions reveal a
comparative viewpoint:
Whereas mo. 9" pills were
given to soldiers for practically
any ailment or injury in the
first world war, and casualty
cases were often neglected for
days, before receiving fairly
crude medical attention, today
medical science has reached a
high peak of efficiency. Blood
plasma in use on the battlefield,
and swift transport planes car
rying trained nurses and medi-
cal aids are two of the outstand-
ing Improvements. Often with
in an hour after being wounded,
soldier has received skillful
first aid blood transfusions, and
is between white sheets in a
warm bed hundreds of miles
from combat.
AS for the food, Thomson ad-
mits that often while surrounded
by synthetic, vitamin-packed
concentrated rations in North
Africa, he yearned for the "buL
ly beef, beans and more simple,
filling fare of Flanders Fields.
Powdered eggs, How Green
Was My Valley coffee, mutton
and goats meat--with a scarcity
of potatoes-made the diet
somewhat monotonous.
LOTS TO EAT
On his return ocean trip,
Thomson was assigned TO help
the baker on board naval
transport, The transition from
desert fare to plentiful naval
food was one of Don's happiest
experiences. Real fresh eggs,
fragrant-smelling bacon, fresh
ly-baked pies, steaks and (above
alb, ice cream were highlights
of his ocean voyage home.
No praise is too high for the
work the American Red Cross
is doing for the overseas forces,
Thomas said. Apart from the
many other services, he men,
toned that leading American
cigarette brands are available
TO soldiers at S cents a package,
and Red Cross aides give three
or four packages TO each soldier
being moved into action or to a
point distant from supply de-
pots.
Studying closely the thous-
ands of Nazi prisoners, and cas-
ualty cases, within the scope of
his activities, Thomson reached
the following conclusions re-
garding German and Italian
morale.
Young Nazi soldiers (and
some are so pitiably young,
have been so indoctrinated with
Nazi idealogy from their child
hood that they remain arrogant
and belligerent even after their
forces have been crushed and
captured.
The possibility that their
Fuehrer's aims are destined to
fail, and that their master race
is due for a tremendous letdown.
seems beyond their conception"
Thomson said.
The older German soldiers
have strong faith in their Nazi
ideals. and many still believe