The Monmouth herald., July 26, 1918, Image 2

Overhead anrapnei was bursnng.
I could hear the fragments slap the
ground- Then I went out once more.
When I came to everything was silence
and darkness In No Man's Land. I
was soaked with blood and a big flap
from the wound In my cheek was hang
ing over my mouth, The blood run
ning from this flnp choked me. Out of
the comer of my mouth I would try
and blow It back, but It would not
move. I reached for my shell dressing
and tried, with one hand, to bandage
my face to prevent the flow. I had
an awful horror of bleeding to death
and was petting very faint. Tou would
have laughed If you had seen my
ludicrous attempts at bandaging with
one hand. The pains In my wounded
shoulder were awful and I was getting
sick at the stomach. I gave up the
bandaging stunt as a bad job, and then
fainted.
When I came to, hell was let loose.
An Intense bombardment was 00, and
on the whole my position was decided
ly unpleasant Then, suddenly, our
barrage ceased. The silence almost
hurt, but not for long, because Frits
turned loose with shrapnel, machine
guns, and rifle fire. Then all along our
line came a cheer and our boys came
over the top In a charge. The first
wave was composed of "Jocks." They,
were a magnificent sight, kilts, flapping
In the wind, bare knees showing, and
their bayonets glistening. In the first
wave that passed my shell hole, one of
the "Jocks," an immense fellow, about
six feet two Inches in height Jumped
right over me. On the right and left
of me several soldiers In colored kilts
were huddled on the ground, then over
eame the second wave, also "Jocks."
One young Scottie, when he came
abreast of my shell hole, leaped Into
the air, his rifle shooting out of his
hands, landing about six feet In front
of him, bayonet first, and stuck In the
ground, the butt trembling. This Im
pressed me greatly.
Right now I can see the butt of that
gun trembling. The Scottie made a
complete turn In the air, hit the
ground, rolling over twice, each time
clawing at the earth, and then re
mained still, about four feet from me,
In a sort of sitting position. I called to
him, "Are you hurt badly, Jockr but
no answer. He was dead. A dark red
smudge was coming through his tunic
right under the heart. The blood ran
down his bare knees, making a horrible
sight On his right side he carried bis
water bottle. I was crazy for a drink
and tried to reach this, but for the life
of me eouli not negotiate that four
"feet Then I became unconscious.
When I woke up I was In an advanced
first-aid post. I asked the doctor If
we had taken the trench. "We took
the trench and the wood beyond, all
right." he said, "and yon fellows did
your bit; but, my lad, that was thirty
six hours ago. You were lying in No
Man's Land In that bally hole for a day
and a half. It's a wonder you are alive."
He also told me that out of the twenty
that were In the raiding party, seven
teen were killed. The officer died of
wounds In crawling back to our trench
nnd I was severely wounded, but one
fellow returned without a scratch, with
out any prisoners. No doubt this chap
was the one who had sneezed and Im
properly cut the barbed wire. ,
In the official communique our trench
raid was described as follows :
"All quiet on the western front, ex
cepting In the neighborhood of Gom
rnecourt wood, where one of our raid
ing parties penetrated Into the German
Hues."
It Is needless to say that we had 80
use for our persuaders or come-alongs,
as we brought back no prisoners, and
until I die Old Pepper's words, "Per
sonally I don't believe that that part
of the German trench Is occupied," will
always come to me when I hear some
fellow trying to get away with a fishy
Statement I will Judge It accordingly.
CHAPTER XXV11.
'" 1 . Blighty.
- From this first-aid post, after Inocu
lating me with antitetanus serum to
prevent lockjaw, I was put into an am
bulance and sent to a temporary hos
pital behind the lines. To reach this
hospital we had to go along a road
fi bout five miles In length. This road
was under shell fire, for now and then
a flare would light up hf-- sky a tre-
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seemed to tremble. We did not mind.
though no doubl some of us wished
In "Blighty."
that a shell would hit us and end our
misery. Personally, I was not particu
lar. It was nothing but bemp, Jolt rat
tle, and bang.
Several times the driver would turn
around and gi'e us a "Cheero, mates,
we'll soon be there" fine fellows,
those ambulance drivers, a lot of them
go West, too.
We gradually drew out of the Are
zone and pulled up In front of an Im
mense dugout. Stretcher-bearers car
ried me down a number of steps and
placed me on a white table la a brightly
lighted room.
A sergeant of the Royal Army Med
ical corps removed my bandages and
cut off my tunic Then the doctor,
with his sleeves rolled un. took charge.
He winked at me and I winked back,
and then he asked. TIow do you feel,
smashed up a bit?"
I answered: "I'm all right, but I'd
give a quid for a drink of Bass."
He nodded to the sergeant, who dis
appeared, and I'll be darned If he
didn't return with a glass of ale. I
could only open my mouth about a
quarter of an Inch, but I got away with
7" ?w la8ted 3Url !
Uke Blighty, and that Is heaven to ;
Tommy.
The doctor said something to an or
derly, the only word I could catch was
"chloroform," then they put some kind
of an arrangement over my nose and
mouth and It was me for dreamland.
When I opened my eyes I was lying
on a stretcher, In a low wooden
building. Everywhere I looked I saw
rows of Tommies on stretchers, some
dead to the world, and the rest with
fags In their mouths.
: The main topic of their conversation
was Blighty. Nearly all bad a grin on
their faces, except' those who didn't
have enough face left to grin with. I
grinned with my right eye, the other
was bandaged.
Stretcher-bearers came in and be
gan to carry the Tommies outside. You
could hear the chug of the engines In
the waiting ambulances. ;
I was put Into an ambulance with
three others and away we went for an
elghteen-mlle ride.
I was on a bottom stretcher. The
lad right across from me was smashed
up something horrible.
Right above me was a man from the
Royal Irish rifles, while across from
him was a Scotchman.
. We had gone about three miles when
I heard the death-rattle In the throat
of the man opposite. He had gone to
rest across the Great Divide. I think
at the time I envied him.
The man of the Royal Irish rifles
had had his left foot blown off, the
Jolting of the ambulance over the
rough road had loosened up the band
ages on his foot, and had started it
bleeding again. This blood ran down
the side of the stretcher and started
dripping. I was lying on my back, too
weak to move, and the dripping of this
blood got me In my unbandaged right
eye. I closed my eye and pretty soon
could not open the lid ; the blood had
concealed and closed It, as if it were
1 gluod down.
An Ktutllxh girl dressed In khaki was
driving the ambulance, while beside
her on the sent was a corporal of the
B. A. M. C, They kept up a running
conversation abont Blighty which si
most wrecked my nerves pretty
on from the stretcher above me, the
Irishman became aware of the fact
that the bandage from J1I1 foot had be
come loose; It must have pained lilin
horribly, because he yelled In a loud
voice:
"If you donl stop this bloody denth
wagon and fix this d bandage on
my foot, I will get out and walk."
The girl on the seat turned around
and In a sympathetic voice asked,
"Poor fellow, are you very badly
wounded T ;
The Irishman, at this question, let
out a howl of Indignation and an
swered, "Am X very badly wounded,
what bloody cheek ; no, I'm not wound
ed, I've only .been kicked by a canary
bird." - .
The ambulance Immediately stopped.
and the corporal came to the rear and
fixed him up, and also washed out my
right eye. I was too week to thank
Win. but It was a great relief. Then
I must have become unconscious, be
cause when I regained my Muses, the
ambulance was kt a standstill, and my
stretcher was being removed from It
It was night, lanterns were flushing
here and there, and I could see stretch-er-boarers
hurrying to and fro. Then
I was carried Into a hospital train.
The luslde of this train looked like
heaven to me, Just pure white, and we
met our first Bed Cross nurses; we
thought they were angels. And they
were.
Nice little soft bunks and clean,
white sheets. .
A Bed Cross nurse sat beside me
during the whole ride which lasted
; three hours. She was holding my
t wrist ; I thought I had made a hit, and
tried to tell her bow I got wounded,
, but she would put her linger to her lips
and say, "Yes, I know, but you mustn't
talk now, try to go to sleep. It'll do yon
good, doctor's orders." Later on I
i learned thut she was taking my pulse
; every few minutes, as I was very weak
I from the loss of blind and they ex
1 pected me to snuff It, but I didn't
From the train we went Into ambu
Innces for a short ride to tbe hospital
ship Panama. Another palace and more
1 angels, I don't remember the trip
across tbe channel.
I opened my eyes; I was being car
ried on a stretcher through lanes of
people, some cheering, some waving
i flags, and others crying. The flugs were
Union Jacks, I was In Southampton.
Bl'ghty at last My stretcher was
strewn with flowers, cigarettes, and
chocolates. Tears started to run down
my cheek from my good ye. I like a
booby was crying. Can you beat It?
' men into anotner nospitnl train, a
five-hour ride to Paignton, another am
bulance ride, and then I was carried
Into Munsey ward of the American
Women's War hosplta and put Into a
rem Deo.
This real bed was too much for my
unstrung nerves and I fuinted.
When I came to, a pretty Red Cross
nurse was. bendlug over me, bathing
my forehead with cold water, then she
left and, the ward orderly placed a
screen around my bed, and gave me a
much-needed bath and clean pajamas.
ihen the screen was removed and
bowl 0( frtw"uln8 P tfven me.
It tastld delIclouSi
Before finishing my soup the nurse
came back to ask me my name and
number. She put this Information down
In a little book and then asked;
"Where do you come from?" I an
swered; "From the big town bebjnd the
Statue of Liberty;" upon bearing this
she started Jumping up and down,
clapping her hands, and calling out to
three nurses across the ward i
"Come here, girls at last we have
got a real live Yankee with us."
They came over and besieged me
with questions, until the doctor ar
rived.; Upon learning that I was an
American he almost crushed my hand
In his grip of welcome. They also
were Americans, and were glad to see
me. , :.
The doctor very tenderly removed
my bandages and told me, after view
ing my wounds, that he would have to
take me to the operating theater Im
mediately. , Personally I didn't care
what was done with me.
In a few minutes, four orderlies who
looked like undertakers dressed In
white, brought a stretcher to my bed
and placing me on It carried me out of
the ward, across a courtyard to the
operating room or "pictures," as Tom
my calls It
I don't remember having the anes
thestlc applied. ,
When I came to I was again lying In
a bed In Munsey ward. One of the
nurses had draped a large American
Aug over the head of the bed, and
clasped In my hand was a smaller flag,
nnd it made me feel good all over to
again see the "Stars and Stripes."
At that time I wondered when the
boys in the trenches would see the
emblem of the "land of the free and
the home of the brave" beside them,
doing Its bit In this great war of clyl
Ui Hon. "
My wounds were very painful, and
several times at night I would dreum
that myriads at klinkl-rtothed figures
would pass my bed nnd each would
top, bend over me, and whisper, "The
best of luck, mute,"
Spiked with perspiration I would
awnke with a cry, and the ulght nurse
would come over and hold my hund.
This awakening got to be a habit with
me until that particular nurse was
transferred to another ward.
In three weeks' time, owing to tho
careful treatment received, I was able
to sit up and get my bearings. Our
ward contained seventy-live patients,
DO per Cent of which were surgical
rases. At the head of earh bed hung
I temperature chart and diagnosis
sheet Across this sheet would be
written "0. S. W." or "3. W." the for
mcr meaning gun shot wound nnd the
latter shell wound. The "8. W." pre
dominated. esieclnlly among the Royal
Field artillery nnd Royal engineers.
About forty different regiments were
represented, and many arguments en
sued as to the respective fighting abil
ity of each regiment. The rivalry was
wonderful A Jock arguing with an
Irishman, then a strong Cockney ac
cent would butt In In favor of a Lon
don regiment. Before long a Welsh
man, followed by a member of a York
shire regiment, and, perhaps, a Cana
dian Intrude themselves and the argu
ment waxea loud and furious. Tho
patients In the beds start howling for
them to settle their dispute outside
and tbe ward Is In an uproar. The
head sister cornea along and with a
wave of the hund completely routs the
doughty warriors and. again silence
reigns supreme.
Wednesday and Sunday of each week
were visiting days and were looked
forward to by the men, because they
meant parcels containing fruit sweets
or fags. When a patient had a regular
visitor, he was generally kept well
supplied with these delicacies. Grunt
Jealousy Is shown among the men as
to their visitors and many word wars
ensue after the visitors leave.
When a man Is sent to a convales
cent home, he generally turns over his
steady visitor to the man In the next
bed.
Most visitors have autograph albums
and bore Tommy to death by asking
him to write the particulars of his
wounding In same. Several Tommies
.ry to duck this unpleasant Job by tell-:
Trains into Monmouth
L've Portland 71.5, a m, Gcrlinger 10:20, Independ'ce 10.32, Monm'th 10:60
" Salem 9.H5, " " " " " "
" " 1.40, pm Dallas 2:46...... ..... ' . .A' 8:10
" ," 3.45, " Gerlinger 454, Independence 4:37. Monmouth 4:66
." " 6.00, " ' 6:45, . " 6:67, " 7:10
" Portland 8.30, Connects with above
" Corvallis 6.45, a m '.Independence 7:35,... Arrive Monmouth 7:45
" " 1.16, p m " 2:14 " 2;S0
" Dallas 7.00, a m, Arrive Monmouth 7:25
', Airlie 8.30, am and 3:45, pm. Arrives Monmouth 9:05 am and 4:13 p m
Leave Independence, 6.50 am, 7.35, 8.45, 10.35, 12.20, 1.30, p m, 2.20, 3.50,
4.40, 7.00 .
Trains out of Monmouth
L've Monmouth 7:05 a m. Independence 736, Gerlinger 7:49, Ar Salem 8:30
"Same as above Portland 11.10
" Monmouth 1:45, pm, , " 2:14. . " 257, Salem 8:10
" Same as above Portland 6:50
" Monmouth 4:05, "" 4:40, " 4:55, Salem 6:30
" " 9:05, am ... ......... Dallas 10:00 "11:00
" " 4;30, p m . " 4:45, " 6:35
" 9;05, a m, Independence 10:32, Corvallis 1150
" " . 4;55, pm, " ' 6:57, " 7:45
" " 7;25 a m and 3;10 p m. Arrives Airlie 8 a m tnd 8;40 pm
Leave Monmouth 7.05, a m, 8.15 9.05, 10.60, 12.30, M, 1.45, p m, 2.35, 4.15,
4.55, 7.13
If you have pride in the farm that gives you a home and a
living why not show it, by naming the farm and doing your
corresponding on printed stationery? Ask us about it.
Good Printing is the Product
a .
A man may get urea ci crai
nary tobacco- but never cl
Real Gravely Chewing Plug,
with its pure, clean tnsto
and lasting quality.
1 OvV
P.
log tne visitors that tney cannot wnui,
hut this never phases the owner of the
album ; he or she, generally she, offer
to write It for them and Tommy Is
stung Into telling his experiences.
The question! asked Tommy by visi
tors would make a clover Joke book
to a military man,
Some kindly looking old lady will
stop at your bed and In a sympathetic
voice address you; "You poor boy,
wounded by those terrible Germans,
I You must be suffering frightful pain.
A bullet, did you say? Well, tell me,
I have always wanted to know, did It
hurt worse going In or coming out?"
Tommy generally replies that lio did
not stop to figure It out when he was
hit
Ouo very nice-looking, overenthusU
astlc young thing, slopped at my bed
and asked, "What wounded you In the
facer 1
In a polite but bored tone I an
swered, "A rifle bullet."
With a look of disdain she passed
to the next bed, first ejaculating, "Oh !
Only a bullet? I thought It was a
shell." Why she should think a shell
wound wns more of a distinction heals
me. I don't see a whole lot of differ
ence myself.
The American Women's War hospi
tal wns a heaven for wouiuled men.
They were allowed every privilege pos
sible conducive with the rules and mili
tary discipline. The only fault was
that the men's pusses were restricted.
To get a puss required n act of par
liament. Tommy tried many tricks to
get out but the commandant, un old
Boer war officer, was wise to them all,
and it took a new and clever ruse to
make him affix his signature to the
coveted slip of paper.
As soon as It would get dark many a
patient climbed over the wall and went
"on bis own," regardless of muuy sign
"taring him In the fnee, "Out of bounds
for patients." Generally the nurww
were looking tbe other way when one
of these night raids started. I ho;
this Information will get none of them
Into trouble, but I cannot resist the
temptation to let the commandant
know that occasionally we put It over
on him. i .
One afternoon I received a note, '
through our underground channel, from
my female visitor, asking me to attend
a party at her house that night. I
answered that she could expect me and "
to meet mn certain nluce on !)
of the Herald Print Shop
J if N
Peyton Brand
Real Gravely
Chewing Plug
10c a pouch and worth it
Cravlylattfo muchlongir it eotti
no more to chew than ordinary plug
B. Gravely Tobacco Company
Danville, Virginia