World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives, British
It seemed warm and cosy. There were officers around me. Here must be
the company commander whom I had driven away two days before. Now he
could take his revenge. What mercy could I hope from him?
A voice asked me a question in English. But by this time I had
collapsed completely. I tried to speak, but no sound would come from
my throat. My head seemed to be an enormous size; my jaw would not
move. I felt some one examine my tunic and examine my pockets. No,
there were no papers there. I heard some one say "Hauptmann." Then
more talking.
A cigarette was put in my mouth. I held it between my swollen lips,
but could not inhale. A sharp command was given, and once more I was
lifted up on to some one's back, and was being dragged down a long
communication trench.
I was able presently to realise that I was in a dressing-station, for
I was laid on a stretcher. Some one bent over me, evidently a medical
officer.
My throat was parched. Oh, how thirsty I was! He was saying something
to me in English in a very kindly manner. He opened a bottle of
Seltzer water, and, lifting me up, placed it to my lips. Oh, how
thirsty I was! I held out my hand for more. Bottle after bottle of
Seltzer water was opened, and I drank one after the other. In my
haziness I seemed to be wondering how they came to be supplied with
such quantities of Seltzer water so close up to the front line.
He opened up my tunic and rubbed something on my chest. I heard him
say, very gently:
"Injection against tetanus. It won't hurt you"; and then I felt a very
slight pin prick. He laid me down again. My head was throbbing.
How hot and stuffy it was! I heard some groans, voices were speaking
in a low tone. I again heard the word, "Hauptmann."
* * * * *
Of the days which followed I have only a hazy recollection. My brain
and body sustained during the period of danger and strain, collapsed
completely, and during the next six days I had only occasional periods
of sensibility.
I can, therefore, only recall the facts between the time of my being
picked up and my arrival at Hanover, six days later, in a disjointed
manner.
Telling only of incidents, which stand out here and there in my
memory, it must be borne in mind that during the operations of
September the 8th and 9th I had felt the weight of my responsibility;
and the great shock caused by my wound and the two days' exposure and
suffering that followed, imposed a great strain upon my system, and
reaction had now set in.
My wound had received no attention, and my right eye was hopelessly
mutilated. The optic nerve of my left eye was damaged beyond repair,
and the eye itself was obscured by an enormous swelling. My sense of
smell was gone, and my cheeks, nose, and mouth were swollen and numbed
to a painful degree.
I had lost power in my lower jaw, which would barely move. My nerves
were completely shattered, and the mere touch of a hand would make me
shrink with fright.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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