OCR Text |
Show FIGHTING SPIRIT Of, BPM SCOTCH IS DISCLOSED With both legs off and his hopes shattered of enjoying life like a normal nor-mal man, W. S. McLeod. the first wounded American soldier to be invalided in-valided home for treatment, one of the heroic "grande malads" of the war, still ib consumed with a desire to get back to the front and continue his fighl against the Hun, according to a letter received today from him by Sergeant Ser-geant George S. McLeod of the local recruiting station. The McLeods might be related and they might not that isn't the point. They are bolh of the same fighting clan of Scotchmen, wear the same tartan tar-tan and in days past probably wielded their claymores in the same border fights and forays but the thing is, as Sergeant McLeod in Ogden says, it shows the spirit which has dominated the kilties in the great war and which has caused the Hun to call them "the women of Hell." W. b. MCL-eod, wiui Dotn lgs pone, but a great spirit left, wrote SerKt. McLeod in Ogden in answer to a letter let-ter sent him by the local man at the Walter Reed hospital in Washington, D. C, where he is recuperating. .He was wounded so severely in the legs that both had to be amputated near the hips. Ho also received wounds in the back and the cheat. Yet with this m mento ( the Hun to carry tnrough life, he says, "Yes Mack, rather than n main in this country in a slacker's uniform, I would have lost both legs, both arms and both eyrs." Now SergL McLeod recruits men for the United States army and he says he believes that short sentonce to be the best recruiting lalk he ever heard. "Walter Reed Hospital. Washington. D. C, April 18, 1918. ' Dear Sergt. McLeod: In my travels around this country I have never met many McLeods and it is a pleasure to hear from one of my own name. "You never meet a Scotchman who isn't proud of his own nationality but after seeing those fighting women from hell in Iheir kilts I'm swelled all over. A rather unusual incident occurred oc-curred while 1 wag in the hospital. Ai Scotch Highlander was brought in with both legs off, and his name was McLeod also. "Yea I got mine early in the game lost them both one three inches below be-low the hip, the other six. Our colonel when visiting me used to say that they couldn't kill a Scotchman. I was struck in the chest in two places, also two in the back. "Yes Mack, rather than remain in Ibis country in a slacker's uniform I would much rather have lost both legs, both arms and both eyes. I have re- r quested to be sent back when I am fitted up but as there are many able-bodied able-bodied men there is no chance my idea was to become a bomber or observer ob-server in the aviation service. "If the young men of our country could see the atrocities committed by that army of barbarians or see our pure American girls under Are they would never hesitate. I have seen an American hospital bombed, killing helpless wounded men on their cots, wounding two nurses, but yet it seems that a 3000 mile gap is too much for many of our boys. "I would not consider myself worthy to live under 'Old Glory' or worthy of my descent if I were not proud to have lost my legs in the service of Uncle Sam and liberty. "Very sincerely, (signed) "MACK." |