A sub-lieutenant I discovered sitting in the wardroom with his legs
upon a chair. He had sustained a "lozenge-shaped" clean cut shell wound
in the middle of right thigh, about 5 inches by 2 inches, and passing
deeply through the anterior muscles. He was very cheery and was only
anxious to get back to his work, which he did after two or three weeks.
A captain-lieutenant of the sunken German destroyer V187 had been
struck in the right side by a piece of shell, the force of the blow
throwing him overboard just before his ship sank. He was taken out of
the water about half an hour later. The wound was situated over the
lower right rib, was oval in shape and about one and a half inches
in diameter. He was passing blood and had a good deal of pain in the
abdomen. It was suspected that a piece of shell had penetrated the
abdomen, but X-rays showed nothing.
He was a good type of officer. On asking him what he thought of the
affair, he replied, "Ah, it was very fine sport."
The courage and endurance of the patients were admirable. In only
one case did I hear any "grousing," as our sailors call any kind of
complaining, and this was in one of the less severely injured. A
suggestion that many around him were in an infinitely worse plight than
he, and were enduring their troubles cheerfully, made a difference, and
after a little refreshment he was as good as the rest of them. Some
of the Germans were at first rather sullen, but their confidence was
soon gained when they found that I could speak to them in their own
language, and that we were intent upon doing our best for them.
I found beef tea, brandy, ship's cocoa made with milk, most useful and
acceptable for those who could not take solid food. At first one or
two of the Germans hesitated about drinking what was offered them, but
they soon thawed and took their portion gratefully, and, in fact, their
gratitude a little later for what had been done for them was remarkable.
I was able to report to the captain on the bridge, at about 4
A.M., that all cases had been dealt with, had been washed,
dressed, fed and made as comfortable as circumstances would allow.
On arrival in harbor about midday on August 29, the more serious cases
were transferred to Shotley Sick Quarters, the others to the hospital
ship _Liberty_. I accompanied the former cases, and soon after seeing
them safely disposed of returned to the ship, had some food and turned
in about 5:30 P.M., having been up some thirty-seven hours.
Curiously enough, though tired, I could not sleep well owing to a bad
cramp in both my calves, but I had passed a very interesting day and a
half. (Told in the _New York American_.)