Antwerp to Gallipoli: A Year of the War on Many Fronts—and Behind ThemRuhl, Arthur
History
Antwerp to Gallipoli: A Year of the War on Many Fronts—and Behind Them
Ruhl, Arthur
World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives
"He came in walking--a fine, tall man. We had only one place to bathe
the men in, then: a big tank--for everything was improvised and there
was no hot-water heater--and one of the doctors told him he could use
his own bath up-stairs, but he said no, he'd stay with his men. He
seemed to be getting on all right, then one morning the doctor touched
his leg and he heard that crackling sound--it was gas infection. They
just slit his leg down from hip to knee, but it was no use--he died in
three hours. Practically all the wounds were infected when the men came
in, but suppose he could have picked up something in that bath? He came
in walking."
Through most of the German histories one could see the German armies
turning now this way, now that, against their "world of enemies," as
they say: "I belong to---Regiment German Infantry and am stationed since
March 1 in Carpathians. I am in active service since the start, having
done Belgium, France, and Russia."
"While at battle of Luneville, with troop of about forty men stormed
battery, capturing them, for which decorated with Iron Cross. Shifted
to Carpathians. After march in severe cold, fingers and feet frozen."
"While in France attacking I was hit in head by shrapnel. In hospital
fourteen days, then sent to Carpathians on December 7 with
Austro-Hungarian troops. Wounded in arm and while creeping back hit
five times in fifteen minutes. Lay all afternoon in trenches."
"I think those are the three who came in together one night, all singing
'Die Wacht am Rhein'; they all had the Iron Cross. They were a noisy
lot. They all got well and went back to the front again."
Here were three pictures from the Galician fighting: "Wounded by
shrapnel near Przemysl, bandaged by comrade, and helped to house; only
occupant old woman. Lay on straw two days, no food. Called to men
passing; they had me moved in cart seventy miles to hospital. Stayed
eight days; started on train, then taken off for three days, then to
Budapest."
"During fighting at Lupkow Pass I was wounded by two pistol-shots.
First one, fired by Russian officer, hit me in chest. Ran back to my
company and in darkness taken by one of our officers for Russian and
shot in arm."
"While digging trenches struck by a rifle-bullet in two places. Lay in
trench two hours when found by Russian infantrymen, who hurriedly
dressed me and put me out of firing-range on horse blanket in old
trench. Later found by our soldiers, carried to base, and dressed
there, then to field-hospital, then in cart to railroad station. Went
few kilometres by train, but became so ill had to be taken off for two
days, then sent to Budapest. Seventeen days. Two months in hospital;
returned to front."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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