MY ESCAPE AND RETURN TO GOOD OLD FRANCE
Consequently while I started back toward Brussels, that night under
cover of darkness I soon wheeled around and made for the Holland
border--alone--on foot. Part of the way I crept on all fours. Sometimes
I was compelled because of the barbed-wire entanglement, to crawl on my
stomach. I went through mud and water and clambered over stones.
Suddenly I heard two German sentries apparently arguing. Finally one let
loose with an automatic and winged me in the leg. Although I twitched I
never whimpered and kept crawling on. At last the two miles were
traversed and I found myself in Holland. The first Dutchman I saw (and
please don't mistake a Dutchman for a German) I will always remember. He
was coming toward me with a lantern, and when he heard me he called out
to know who it was. I answered "An American." He then came smiling
toward me and greeted me with a hearty handshake, but I was laughing
through tears. I slapped him on the shoulder and exclaimed, "Say, old
top, you're the first human being I've seen for many weeks. I have been
in the hands of those cursed German brutes and they made life fearful
for me." Of course he didn't know what "old top" meant but I didn't care
anyway. He bandaged up my slight wound and sent me on my way. I was now
mad at the Huns, and good and mad, but I was on my way to France. I was
in the hands of sympathetic friends instead of hardened foes and I was
happy in spite of my anger. I had seen Belgium and had obtained the
evidence. Whereas before I had jerked off my frock coat and then later
had shed my vest and gritted my teeth, I now began rolling up my sleeves
for the Allies. Righteous indignation took the upper hand of pacifism.
When I went back to The Hague and told Dr. Van Dyke my story, he was
astonished. I did not tell it all, but related enough to considerably
startle him.
I had slipped by the consuls, had seen Belgium, had finally escaped, and
was now to be passed on to England. I had no further difficulties, and
in two days was off for Tilbury Docks. When I got there I was taken
aside and searched, but there was none of that terrorism about it which
the Germans had used. They had searched me thoroughly thirteen times.
The English officers asked me several leading questions, whether I had
seen any movement of troops and what was the food condition, etc. As I
did not have any particular military information, I was soon dismissed
and got my pass to France.
I now went down to the railway station and got my uniform where I had
checked it. When I crossed the channel and went into France I had a
funny experience. I went up to the railroad ticket office and asked for
a special rate ticket to Paris (one-fourth fare). The woman asked, "Have
you papers to show that you are military?" I said, "No, Madame, I have
none with me." And I was having an awful time with my French. Just then
young Du Boucher stepped up to the window. He was an old friend from
Paris, and he looked good to me. He had just come from Etaples and spoke
perfect French and perfect English. Besides, he was a good fellow. His
father was one of the main surgeons and founder of our hospital in
Neuilly. But with all that, we could not persuade the woman to give me a
military ticket. She said to come back later and see the officer. Then
Du Boucher said he would stay with me and see me through. When we went
back we found a grouchy officer. We asked him for a military pass. When
he asked for our papers I gave him my "leave of absence." He looked at
it and said, "My dear sir, you are a deserter. This paper gives you ten
days' leave and you have been gone much longer. You must come back and
see the colonel at eight o'clock."
I told him my train would go to Paris at seven-thirty. He didn't hear me
at all. He said, "This is very serious, and you must see the colonel." I
then told him I wasn't really military, don't you know, as the ambulance
service was in reality neutral, so I was not a deserter. "Oh, I see,"
said he. "You're not really military, and why then are you attempting to
buy a military ticket? This is still more serious. You must see the
colonel."
I was scared green.
However, when we came back to see the colonel we found a very affable
human man, who said he couldn't do anything for us about a special
ticket if we had no papers to show that we were entitled to it, but that
we could go to the window and make a try at getting it. Again we did so.
A different agent was at the window, and we went up and asked him for
such a ticket. He handed it out without a question.
For the next two minutes I can tell you we did some laughing. We were
compelled to stay over night, but at any rate I did not have to face
court-martial as a deserter, and in the morning I was in Paris. There is
nothing like having a fluent speaker of French with you in France,
especially when you are in trouble. I was now back again in the good old
country. Dear old France, how good it looked! My heart had been changed
and I now immediately went into action again, under the colors of
France. The fighting had been very heavy and some terrible scenes were
shortly to be witnessed. Hundreds of men were now literally ground to
pieces on the Western front.