True Stories of the Great War, Volume 6 (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 6 (of 6): Tales of Adventure--Heroic Deeds--Exploits Told by the Soldiers, Officers, Nurses, Diplomats, Eye Witnesses
World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives
At 10:20 I turned and saw a steam trawler near us and I suppose the
relief was too much for me, as I became unconscious, so from then till
1 p.m. I must give information supplied me by the doctor. Becoming
unconscious, he tells me I released my hold of the plank, but still
kept my arm around the lifebuoy.
The steam trawler did not see us and headed away in another direction,
but from behind her came a small cutter. The doctor shouted "If you
come now you can save the Padre," and come they did, and, thank God,
saved our lives. They hauled me into the boat and pumped away at me. I
just remember being conscious for a moment and hearing voices.
We were then put on the Lowestoft trawler, S. S. _Coriandar_, and put
in the stokehold. It was not until 1 p.m. that I became conscious, a
most painful awakening and I was very sick. The fishermen had put an
under flannel over me and given me hot tea. They were indeed good to us.
Our commander was picked up by the same boat and was superintending
the boats which were in company with the Lowestoft trawler and others
transferring us to H. M. S. _Lennox_. (They had their reward off the
Dutch coast, eh?)
We buried one poor fellow there and then, but brought home another.
After being massaged, I was put to bed, where I remained till 5 p.m.
until the worst of the soreness had passed off. We were landed at
Harwich at 8:30. The passage home, I'm told, was not without interest!
An order was given to "clear for action." Those who could, rushed
on deck to see what was happening, and in the far distance saw an
aeroplane and a waterplane approaching, but as they put it, "There was
nothing doing," as they turned out to be British.
On landing we were received at the Great Eastern Hotel, equipped as a
hospital, by the matron and her staff of Red Cross nurses. After being
examined by the doctor, and found to have no bones broken, I had my
first meal since 7 p.m. the previous day, and it was good!
LEON BARBESSE, SLACKER, SOLDIER, HERO
_Told by Fred B. Pitney, War Correspondent_
I--"I MET HIM IN THE TRENCHES ON THE SOMME"
This is the story of Léon Barbèsse, a volunteer of France. I met him
first in the trenches on the Somme. He stood in a first line post,
where we were halted because the Germans had begun a fierce rain of
shells on the French lines. They were nervous that day, the Germans.
All the day and night before there had been a succession of sallies
from the French trenches. They were really only reconnoitering
expeditions, but the Germans had come to think each the precursor of an
attack in force, and every time there was the least sign of activity
in the French lines the German artillery burst into furious action,
shelling the French trenches to prevent a sortie. We arrive as one of
these _rafales_ began, and we were halted to seek shelter.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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