Show a y Blighty What Hopes 1 By Sergeant Arthur Guy I Empey Author of Over the To TOR First Call eau Etc 0 o Mr Empey's During His Seven teen Months in Line Trenches of the w British Army in France Copyright V The McClue ure S The battle of the Somme was still raging I 1 had been hit by three rifle rUle bullets one through the left cheek r the other two through the left shoulder shoulder der while engaged in a trench raid mid for prisoners and was on my journey to Blighty I 1 remember being carried down a flight of steps and placed on a white f table in a brightly lighted room a doctor and a sergeant bending over f me me-a me a delicious drink of ale then the whispered word chloroform something some some- c thing g like a gas helmet being placed r over my nose and mouth a co couple of f 5 r long Ind Indrawn awn g gasping breaths a rumbling In tn my e ears rs then the skyline rf i of New York suddenly appeared This t. t r was was quickly quickly followed by the Statue z of Liberty Liberti shaking hands with tl the e Singer building a a rushing hI hissing sing so sound nd in my ears Uk like escaping steam and then then blackness x f I opened my eyes I 1 was lying on ona f. f a stretcher covered with blankets in ina inc c a roofed low wooden building Across a the way from me was a long row of stretchers each stretcher holding a ri wounded Tommy some lying flat others others oth oth- Lr ers propped up by f folded blankets 1 Others were were sitting on their stretchers tenderly caressing an arm bound up K with white bandages Occasionally a stretcher reclining w I on which was a muddy and bloody soldier would be carried d down wn the f i aisle by two stretcher bearers This r. stretcher would be placed In an opens open s i space in the row opposite Ji I could hear a hum of conversation all about me and as as my brain cleared i r sn snatches of it became Intelligible My right hand seemed to be in a aI vise I 1 could not release it Squirming SquirmIng Squirming Squirm- Squirm I Ing in bed which h sent a sharp shooting shooting shoot shoot- W ing pain through my left shoulder I I tri tried d with my ed eye to see t what was holding my wrist wristA v A Royal Army Medical corps ml man n r was sitting on n the floor at the head of i f.- f. my stretcher and had my wrist In his hist t grasp He was was about twenty years old and Looked tired dog-tired his chin would gradually sink to his his chest chest as asif 0 if h he were falling asleep then he hes' hes s' s f would suddenly start lift up his head s' s J with a Jerk and stare around the thet t room Pretty soon his eyelids would slowly close I 1 gave my arm arni a tug t. t and he e quickly opened his eyes then t across across ss his face flashed a smile To Tome r. r me me appeared it like the sun rising from t v r 1 b behind a hill hlll at daybreak That smile i sent a warm glow through me I 1 belleve be- be aeve that right then I 1 was In love with his boyish face tace Then he opened t i his is mouth and as as is usual in such suchy t. t y cases case's c cases se spoiled it all Strafe me pink but you do tyke your own bloomin time to come out Iwo r 9 o chloroform form Ere Ive I've been bloody S well balmy a oldie oldIn your bloomin pulse r Out of the corner of my mouth I Ii t- t i asked him him 1 z Where am I n r Still smiling he hailed bailed a stretcher t bearer across across the way I sy sye Awkins this blighter wants 1 a bloom bloomin In map of e wants to know where e Is Awkins w ins across the way answers answered 9 f Tell im m es bloomin in Sa Sam Isaacs Isaac's fish ouse down Tottenham t Court Road for Is jg order o 0 fish an and chips This brought a general laugh fro from s th the Tommies opposite me and on m my right and left S F Somewhat Incensed at their merris merri merrl- merriment s ment meat I 1 retorted I.- I. Quit your kidding for tor the love o of S Mike have some sense What's the theA Ib A matter Am m I 1 wounded J. The stretcher bearer still with th the thet t sunny smile on his face which made mad mader r m me feel a little ashamed at my resen resentment resent resent- ment meat answered c Naw New you aint ant wounded mft c S' S Yo You Y ri Just appe to fall down i ithe in hi tie the bloomin road and one o o 0 those thos f r bUnkin blinkin tanks crawled over you 1 r 4 This rather frightened m me and 1 In Ina a a pleading voice I asked 1 Please tell me what is If the matter matte with me meX The str stretcher stretcher be bearer l leaned and over ove imd 1 read rend from a little tag pinned t to tuniC G G. S. S W. W left face two face two left lef shoulder Cot Then he carried on nIt Hit means that you ave a a rifle bullet th through ough the tho left side of ot r rou our clock face and two bullets through your left shoulder and that youre you're a acot cot case which means that you wont won't ave to bloody well walk Two of ot us u p poor or blokes blokes will ave to carry you o. o on ona onn a n stretcher Y You u sure are a l luck lucky bloke pretty cushy I calls It It ItI I 1 If It the wounds were goo good for or Blighty t 5 ar Ile answered r for Blighty an and v c LV T r f i fl 1 discharge That le left lef harm o a rn I will be out o 0 commission for the tae est yest esto est o your life Your wife If It youre you're got got one will bloomin well ave to cut ut your meat for you that Is If youre you're lucky enough to get any blinkin meat on the pension tl the e Top A Als Ma ome will willand willand willand and you A feeling of pride surged through me me In a hospital of wounded soldiers a severely wounded case is more or orless orless orless less looked up to while a man with a superficial wound is treated as an ordinary ordinary ordinary or or- mortal I 1 could read read respect perhaps intermixed with a little envy in the eyes of the surrounding TommIes Tommies Tom Tom- mies and medical men The door at the end of ot the ward opened A howl came from the cot at my right and a gruff Irish voice shouted Close that damned door You bloomin hospital men have no sine at all Here I 1 am knocked about by a ashell ashell ashell shell and the likes o 0 youse puts me mein mein in tn a bloody draft Its It's a good thing we have a navy with the likes o you blokes in the army we certainly need one A snicker went up from the patients I Then hen a Tommy on my left answered I this outburst with l i Bloody nerve I 1 call it Ere e is a covered with blankets and abo about i a little and not many h hours urs back e was In a bloomin shell ole with the wind a blowin a the whiskers whiskers' off oft im and e a for stretcher bearers Ill I'll wager a quid e belongs to the Royal Irish Rifles The man on my my right retorted Naw Im I'm not In th the Royal Irish Rifles but but I 1 belong t to a good outfit outfit- the Royal Dub Dublin u Fusiliers and I 1 can lick the theman man that says they aint Just then from a corn corner r of the ward came the voice of ofa a stretcher bearer Jones get the M. M O. O medical officer of of- fleer Hurry up quick up quick this poor blokes bloke's a goin west The man holding my hand suddenly released his grip and nd rising to his feet hurri hurriedly left the ward A dead si- si i r What's w ats at's the Matter Am I Wounded y lence ensued I tried to turn in the direction from which the first vo voice ce had come but the sharp pain in my shoulder warned me that it was use use- less In a few seconds the door opened and I 1 could hear low voices down Inthe In inthe I the corner I could see see th the Tommies I around me Intently gazing in the direction direction di di- of the voices After a few minutes th the door opened again then closed and Jones came back I 1 looked up at pt t him and he solemnly nodded One more son of Britain had paid the to toll l of war My eye suddenly beame became became be be- came ame cloudy and misty and a hot tear rolled down my cheek The door at the other en o the ward opened and two stretcher bearers bearers bearers bear bear- ers entered going in the direction of the dead man Pretty soon they left eft the ward carrying a stretcher on which was a still form covered with a blanket The Irishman on my right was repeating to himself Poor bloke poor bloke he sure done his bit and it wont won't be long before be be- before fore hell he'll be up the daisies somewhere in France And before this war var is over therell there'll be lots more In the same fix One of the Tommies in an effort to tobe tobe tobe be brave addressed Jones is nyme Mike What battalIon battalion battalion bat bat- Is e from 7 Jones answered James Collins a lance corporal out of ot the Royal five machine gun bullets through the right lung lung lung- hemorrhage The door opened again and two stretcher bearers enter entered d carrying a Tommy his head lying flat fiat and a smell of ether pervaded the ward We knew it was a case from the Pictures operating room The stretcher bearers bearers bearers bear bear- ers placed hI him on the right of the Irishman Jones now left me and getting a lit Ut- little little tle white basin went over to the new arrival The Tommies turned inquiring ing looks In his direction Answering these glances he read from the tag pinned to the tunic of the tho patient Shell wound left t foot foot ot tion Then and there I knew that I had lost my prestige In a short while the tho form on the stretcher began to mumble This mumbling soon turned to singing that Tommy sure could sing r He must have been a comedian in civilian life because because because be be- cause the Tommies were soon roaring with laughter so was I as much as my wounds would permit Harry Tate the famous English comedian In his days never had bad a more appreciative appreciative ap ap- audience After a while the tho singing ceased and the Tommies began be be began gan conversing among themselves The main topic was What was Blighty What Hopes Dopes E Each ch eno was hoping his r was serious enough for tor him to tobe to tobe I be sent to England The stretcher bearers were being pestered with questions questions ques ques- as to what chance the Tommies I had of reaching their coveted goal I believe they all envied the man under ether because with a left foot missing missing missing miss miss- ing he was sure to be sent to Blighty A sergeant major of the Royal Army Medical corps entered the ward The medical men promptly stood at attention attention attention atten atten- tion except one or two who were taking care of serious cases The sergeant sergeant sergeant ser ser- ser ser- geant major ordered Get this ward in shape The M. M O. O Is coming through In five minutes to inspect cases and clear out out- The medical men went from cot to cot carefully smoothing out ont blankets tucking in loose ends and picking up fag ends cigarette butts The sergeant major left leftIn leftIn In about ten minutes the door opened again and with a smart shun from the sergeant major a dead si silence silence silence si- si lence reigned in the ward The Tha medical medical medi medi- cal men men all came to attention then the doctor doctor entered followed by byn n a a clerk and a R R. A. A M. M C C. sergeant He stopped at each cot carefully read the tag on the w wounded man man occupying occupyIng occupying occupy occupy- ing it it passed a few remarks which tile Hie clerk jotted down on on a pad of paper and as he be left each wounded soldier he made a cheering remark to him When he he came to me he asked Well how are you feeling my my lad 7 at the same time stooping over my tag Hum three Hum three rifle bullets well my lucky fellow it means England for tor you I x could have kissed that doctor Then he passed to the Irishman on my right Stooping over him he said How lad 7 are you my The Irishman answered Tm Pm d d-d d d sick and I want want to get out of here I 1 want to get out of here out of this draft Every tin minutes they they're re and a a n that door The doctor with a wink turned to the B R. R A. A M. M C. C sergeant and said Shrapnel left foot knee and right breast I 1 see no rea reat i why this man wont won't be ready for duty in a a couple of days The Irishman with a yell answered answered answered an an- I Dooty how the h l hI I 1 can I I do d dooty oty i when 1 F cant can't walk 7 The doctor answered That will be all right my lad Well We'll fix yo you up with a cushy Job at brigade headquarters pounding a a typewriter The Irishman with a groan of disgust disgust disgust dis dis- dis- dis gust addressing nobody in particular lar sighed Out since Mons and I end up worLIn a bloody typewriter at head head- quarters Stick SUck me in skirts and Ill I'll go as a manicurist The doctor paying paving no attention to this remark remade went to the next case ease and soon left the the w ward rd As soon a as the door closed a string of oaths came from the Irishman a typewriter ter at headquarters Just like the bloody British army what iI In h h l 1 do I know know about one of those ma machines Just my luck Why couldn't that shell have hit me in the hands But ButI I spose If Id I'd lost my my bloody hands they'd made a tight rope walker out o me Win this war war what what hopes The Tommies were eagerly questioning ques quest each other What did he sye to you Are you good for Blighty He marked England on my tag I l What does base hospital mean Does it mean that Tm Pm to stick it out in this this bl bloody ody mud while you blokes are goin a to Blighty etc Pr Pre ty soon a stretcher bearer entered entered entered en en- carrying a little oblong green box which we all aU knew contained cigarettes He was greeted with a chorus of a fag tag mate Im I'm all out Come on chum dont don't forget me That's a good fellow Lets Let's have one one Pretty soon every Tommy who was able had a lighted fag between his lips Ups and a sigh of content went content went up up as he Inhaled deep dr drafts of the smoke I 1 certainly enjoyed mine The sergeant major again agnit entered The medical men Dien came to attention In crisp tones he ordered Get the convoy for England ready Look alive tho the ambulances are expected expected ex ex- ex any minute The stretcher bearers entered bustling bus about and the ward was in an uproar Then outside could be heard the chugging engines of the waiting ambulances As each fortunate Tommy was carried car carried ried sled out the more unfortunate ones who were to be left behind at the base hospital bravely wished him a Good luck Juck mate give my regards to Trafalgar square Be careful and dont don't lose your watch vatch in Petticoat lane Jane Give er er my love As I was carried through the door the cold air sent a shiver through me the theand and my wounds began to pain The effect of the chloroform was wearing off oft Outside it was dark and confusion confusion confusion sion seemed to reign supreme Lanterns Lanterns Lanterns Lan Lan- terns were flashing to and fro and long lines of stretchers could be seen moving toward the ambulances I 1 was placed in an ambulance with three others A A. rasping noise as the gears were shifted and with a Jerk the tho ambulance started That jerk made me me grind my teeth But Bot I was happy In th the thought that at last I was on my way to that longed-for longed heaven Blighty I |