True Stories of the Great War, Volume 3 (of 6): Tales of Adventure--Heroic Deeds--Exploits Told by the Soldiers, Officers, Nurses, Diplomats, Eye Witnesses
History
True Stories of the Great War, Volume 3 (of 6): Tales of Adventure--Heroic Deeds--Exploits Told by the Soldiers, Officers, Nurses, Diplomats, Eye Witnesses
World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives
One day we were called upon to witness a most sorrowful sight. A small
farmer's wagon drove up to the gate, bearing the lifeless bodies of two
children, a girl aged eight and her brother, aged fourteen. The mother
and a smaller child were also in the wagon. The mother related that
they were taking flight as refugees. Seeing the enemy, they hastened to
retreat, and were fired at by the soldiers. The children, who were in
the back part of the wagon, were struck and wounded in a most frightful
manner. The little girl's face was nearly all torn off, and the back of
the boy's head had been shattered.
At the approach of Belgian soldiers, who fired at the enemy, the mother
was enabled to pick up the lifeless bodies of her children, put them
into the wagon and drive with them to our hospital, which was the
nearest post.
A little after four o'clock one afternoon, shortly before the departure
of the first division of the Red Cross, our attention was attracted by
the heavy and continuous tread of cavalry and soldiers passing along
the street. It was the Belgian army returning from a long and tiresome
march.
Here was found a different kind of suffering from that which was
ministered to in the hospital. Hunger and fatigue were stamped upon
the countenance of each of these men, who, about a month before were
industrious citizens at their daily occupations.
There were in the ranks priests, in their long black cassocks, wearing
the arm-band of the Red Cross, who, as volunteer chaplains, had joined
the army and were ever at the service of the soldiers on the march,
and even on the battlefield. We were informed that priests, and those
preparing for the priesthood, were not obliged to serve in the army in
time of peace; but, in case of war, they may be called upon to serve
as military chaplains. When the present war broke out, hundreds of
them joined as volunteers, marching in the ranks with the soldiers and
undergoing their sufferings and hardships.
Many doctors rode along in motor cars. They were distinguished by a
special dark-colored uniform, with a red collar and gilded trimmings.
They also wore the arm-band of the Red Cross. Officers on horseback led
each division of the army. The faces of all were disfigured with sweat
and dust, while dust in abundance covered shoes and clothing. Some were
staggering along, unable to walk straight, owing to the hard shoes and
blistered feet. Hollow-cheeked, and with eyes which seemed to protrude
from their sockets, they passed along, piteously imploring a morsel of
bread.
Fortunately, the abundant supply of bread in the Convent had just been
increased by the addition of forty of those immense loaves found only
in Belgium. All of this was hastily cut, buttered and, with baskets
full of pears, dealt out, piece by piece, to the passing soldiers,
until, finally, only a small portion remained over for the supper of
the wounded remaining in the hospital....
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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