We retired to Altkirch. Here reinforcements arrived, and it was whilst
marching to counterattack Mulhouse, after a small fight in a village we
had already passed, that I was wounded. "Wounded" is perhaps hardly the
word, but this is how I received my injury. After a heavy bombardment
by the enemy of the place we occupied, we had to evacuate it somewhat
rapidly. Whilst getting out of the way of a shell I climbed over a
wall about six feet high and rolled to the ground. I picked myself up
immediately, thinking nothing was the matter, but a sharp pain in my
left arm soon convinced me that I had sprained it severely. It was,
indeed, so badly hurt that I could not get over the wall again and had
to call a Red Cross man to my assistance. Subsequently I was sent with
the wounded to the ambulance, where the doctor who had taken me under
his protection at Belfort massaged my injured limb with camphorated oil
and dressed it. He decided that it was better I should no longer remain
with the ambulance, so he sent me in a Red Cross train to Lyons, where
I was in Auxiliary Ambulance No. 37. My duties there, as an assistant,
were to carry food to the wounded, read the newspapers to them, write
their letters, and do any other necessary light work. I remained there
a month, and when my arm was no longer painful they sent me to Tournon
to complete my convalescence. It was whilst there that I wrote the
following letter to my father:
"Tournon, November 10th, 1914.
"DEAR FATHER--At the present time I am at Tournon, in the Ardêche, and
I have just received a visit from mother, who has left for Narbonne,
where she hopes to see you. You will doubtless have learnt from her
that I went to Belfort and served with an ambulance, but that, owing to
there being too many Red Cross _employés_, I was sent with others to
Tournon, where I am in convalescence, after spraining my arm, which is
now well again.
"As you know, my desire is to enlist and follow the army to the
battlefield. Mother tells me that one of these days you will be leaving
for the front. A ray of hope flashes to my brain. My dream may at last
be realized. That depends on the kindness of one man, your captain, and
his kindness will consist in accepting me for his regiment, to fight
side by side with you. If he is willing, he can only accept with your
consent, but I do not doubt for a moment that you are ready to give
your signature. I implore you, therefore, to speak to your captain,
for if he is a true patriot he will understand the reason why your son
of fourteen begs him to accept me in his company to go on campaign
with you, even though it be only to raise up the poor wounded who have
fallen gloriously for France, and who, as I have already seen, remain
eighteen to twenty hours on the field of battle, exhausted through loss
of blood. But my desire does not end there. I wish to fight by your
side, and even to avenge the name of Escloupié if, unfortunately, you
are seriously wounded. I promise you that if that happens in a bayonet
charge and I am by your side, the Boche who is the author of your
wound will pass to the other world--and quickly, too. If your captain
is a good patriot and possesses a good heart, I repeat he will not
refuse to relieve a poor little French heart which laments to find
itself useless, when, at fourteen years of age, one can render service,
especially when the honor of the country is at stake.
"I shall not say much more, for my heart beats too quickly. That ray of
hope revives me. I beg you to make this request for me. Speak to your
captain--to your commandant, if the captain will not suffice--or to the
general if that is necessary. And if my wish is granted, I swear on my
honor that I will fight, not as a boy of fourteen, but as a soldier of
the 125th Territorial Regiment.
"Farewell! My hand trembles. I cannot say more; if I could, it would
not be a letter I should write, but a book.
"Farewell! Farewell!
"Whilst awaiting your reply, receive from your son--strong-headed but
patriotic--a loving kiss and a vigorous handshake, which will give you
courage and sufficient strength to do your duty as a good Frenchman. If
you obtain what I ask of you, write me immediately and I will join my
new regiment as soon as possible. Send your reply to Eugène Escloupié,
Evacué des Places de Guerre, Maison Cross, Rue Aimée Dumaine."
I awaited the reply. On receiving it, my father told me that the
captain could not accept me, but he would authorize me to follow his
regiment when it was called to the front.