An adventure story
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| AN ADVENTURE STORY
By Clyde Talley Earnest, Sr. Secretary-Treasurer of the American Red Cross Medical Mission to Roumania July 1917 to January 1918 “It never occurred to me that I would ever see the Black Sea.” Prologue By Clyde T Earnest, Jr. “It never occurred to me that I would ever see the Black Sea, except upon a map, and here it is before my eyes in reality.” [November 20th 1917] Imagine that today is July 20th, 1917. A little over three years ago, Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo, Bosnia, starting World War I. Just four months ago, Tsar Nicholas II abdicated his rule over Russia and Alexander Kerensky formed the Provisional Government. Soon thereafter President Woodrow Wilson delivered his War Message to Congress, and the US declared war on April 6, 1917. These world conditions prevailed when our father, then 29 years old, received a long distance phone call asking him to go to the war zone seven days hence, to be gone for at least six months. He was married (to Mary, his first wife) and had an eight-year-old daughter, Opal. And he was in business with his older brother Jim, selling building materials as Earnest Bros., Inc. Now, Dad was born on a farm outside Richmond, Virginia, and was not “well-to-do”, even though his father even though his father had his Masters license and was first mate on the "Old Dominion" side-wheeler steamship plying from Richmond to New York. He retired in 1912. Dad went to public school in Richmond, then to business school while his mother operated a boarding house in Richmond to help support the family of three boys (Jim, Clyde, and Herbert) and 2 girls (Mollie and Etta); Thelma, eldest daughter, died young. At some time after finishing school, he was employed by a railroad, the high tech outfit of the early years of the century, where he was the personal assistant (or secretary) to the President. We think it was the Baltimore & Ohio; Henry Anderson served as the lawyer for the railroad. The position required him to travel extensively (on this railroad system) with the president as he oversaw operations. To our knowledge, he had no other travel experience prior to the surprising phone call in 1917, although he had amassed a deep understanding of railroads and how they worked -- which is apparent in his notes on the astounding trip he was about to undertake. We now invite you to read about his grand adventure, as told by Dad in his own contemporaneous words and opinions. Diary The real start of my trip was the ringing of the telephone bell at my home [in Richmond] early in the morning, about July 20th 1917. I was asked by long distance telephone if I could arrange my affairs so I could take a trip abroad. It sounded well. The only information I could get was that I would not go to France. Not being able to secure the details by telephone, I left on the noon train for Baltimore, and a conference on the subject resulted the following day in my appointment as Assistant Secretary of the American Red Cross Mission to Roumania, with the rank of First Lieutenant. (Later I was made Assistant Secretary and Treasurer). I mention the above because everybody in the party had to decide on very short notice to make this long trip. I will admit that I had to look up Roumania on the map before I could get the exact location of this little country. The function of this Mission, as we all understood it, was to go to Roumania, locate and establish a hospital, the personnel for which went with us, investigate conditions there, and return with a report to National Headquarters at Washington, recommending the amount of money which should be spent there and how it should be spent. July 26th, 1917 -- We mobilized at Chicago this morning (Saturday), leaving at 6:35 P.M. for Vancouver, B.C. We had an extremely busy day checking up [on] passports, luggage and shopping. We found our party was to consist of seven commissioners (headed by Lieut. Colonel Henry W. Anderson, of Richmond, Va.), Secretarial force, twelve doctors (headed by Major W.D. Kirkpatrick), and eleven nurses (headed by Miss Florence Patterson) -- a total of thirty-seven. The following morning work commenced in connection with getting all needed supplies to Vancouver, our port of embarkation. Vermin suits, duffle bags, medicines, foodstuffs and many other things had to be looked after. The doctors and nurses are to be envied, to some extent, on the trip across the States and, in fact, until we landed in Russia. It is for them one grand pleasure jaunt. It must be remembered, however, that these doctors and nurses have volunteered to go into epidemic territory where the dreaded Typhus is prevalent and to work among the people afflicted, until the termination of the war -- a much more dangerous task than the one in France. It was very strenuous work for the secretarial staff, as they had things innumerable to do. During the trip to Vancouver via rail across the American as well as the wonderful Canadian Rockies, the thermometer ran as high as 100 [degrees]. Vaccinations for Typhoid were begun on the train. Some of us took the inoculation in the upper arm and others in the chest. The next inoculation will come when we are "at sea". Many of the boys feel queer to some extent after the first dose. At 6:00 A.M., July 30th, we crossed the boundary line and we are now in Canada. Weather much better, air cooler and bracing. Quite an agreeable change. We arrived at Moose Jaw, Canada, at 11:15 A.M. We saw at the station a number of Canadian troops fresh from France, most of them having come out of the hospitals, which they praised very highly. The members of the Scottish Troops, who are also here and most of whom are going to Victoria, B.C., are very picturesque in their kilts and "Little Bob" hats. Our first touch of war was a sad one -- there were two or three soldiers on the train who are said to be demented, or at least partly so, as result of shell fire. One of the soldiers told us that the food question among the French soldiers was pretty serious - that it was considered an unpardonable offense to waste anything, and, that after meals the scraps were gathered up, even to the extent of remnants of food on the plates which had been chewed, and they were all returned to the culinary department and later on were served in a different style to the same men. We saw several members of the Royal Northwest Mounted Police, an organization somewhat similar to our Texas Rangers. They were gaudily clad in flaming red coats and black military trousers. They are all picked men, splendidly built. We were informed that they would likely be sent abroad in a body or else a selected list therefrom would have to go. Daylight found us this morning at Calgary and, very shortly thereafter, the labored puffing of the locomotive gave notice that we were ascending a heavy grade. Naturally it is becoming cooler and anyone would know that steam was on from the pounding in the heater pipes. We are now among the real Rockies, having left the dry and dusty prairies behind us and the change in the weather is most agreeable and exhilarating to us all. The Canadian Pacific advertises "Fields" as one place that no one can afford not to visit, but we are making a bee-line to connect with our steamer. It is indeed too bad that we have to rush through this truly wonderful country. One could easily spend months among the mountain streams, paths, crags, etc., enjoying every minute of the time. Several members of our party have been fortunate enough to visit this particular territory before, one in particular having camped in the immediate vicinity of Fields with his family and has an intimate knowledge of the mountain trails and mountain streams. It was interesting to hear his story, after a short stop of the train. His previous trip had been prior to the war and he found upon inquiry that practically to a man all of the old guides had responded to the colors and many of them are back now -- badly wounded and some maimed for life. Already we are beginning to understand from actual experience that Canada is doing her "bit". One of the most wonderful pieces of scenery I have ever seen was in the Canadian Rockies. We are pulling an extremely heavy grade and the Canadian Pacific has attached to the rear end of the train a small open car, with seats arranged as in an ordinary trolley car, with an aisle in the center. Needless to say, the seats were quickly filled. I have not the descriptive powers to do the country justice. The grade is very heavy and the surrounding country, for miles, is magnificent in its rugged mountainous beauty, with very picturesque silvery streams, running along down in the valley, which seems very distant indeed. During the entire trip from Chicago to Vancouver the secretarial force has been kept very busy, both day and night, on details of every character in connection with the handling of the party, gathering of supplies, etc. It is a life-size job to handle such a party. Wednesday, 9:45 A.M., August 1st -- We arrived at Vancouver. After traveling for six nights and five days, everyone seems jubilant over the prospect of a short stay in Vancouver, and the long ocean voyage. At least I am sure this is the case with the hard- pressed secretarial force. After some little excitement and bustle at the station, we arrived at the Vancouver Hotel, bag and baggage, and registered. The hotel is a handsome one, both exterior and interior, and the service excellent. Up to this time we have been traveling in citizen clothes. Orders have just come from the Colonel to cast off these clothes for the balance of the trip and appear in uniform for inspection at 11:00 A.M. in the Assembly Hall, which has been provided at the hotel for our use. So, suddenly, we are Red Cross Officers in full regalia. Upon our arrival, we were advised that Wednesday was a half day holiday. It seems in Canada the question of whether a half day holiday should be had on Saturday or on Wednesday was put to a vote and the decision was Wednesday. Our appearance in uniform on the streets of Vancouver attracted considerable attention, or rather, so it seemed to many of us. We felt very strange and uncomfortable in returning the salutes of the many wounded soldiers in the city, who had returned from the front. The feeling was not one of pride to us in being saluted, but rather one of shame in being so honored by these wonderful fighters. In the shops, where all of us want to add to our supply of this or that, we were treated with every consideration and kindly feeling. Knowing that we embark shortly for a somewhat dangerous trip with chances not more than even that we will return, most of us had a dozen or so good photographs taken, to be forwarded by the Photographer to the folks at home. Already we have gotten considerable information in reference to the dreaded disease of Typhus and we are destined to a country wherein it is very prevalent. Thursday, August 2nd -- We are scheduled to sail today at 11:00 A.M., on the Empress of Russia. We did not actually pull out, however, until after midnight. A group picture was taken of the entire party on the roof of the Vancouver Hotel, but it did not turn out very satisfactorily. Everybody was aboard the Empress of Russia at 5:00 P.M. Due to the many miles between most of us and our families and friends, the usual "Farewell, wish you bon voyage" fruit baskets, etc., are missing. I was very happy to receive a telegram from J.G.E. [older brother] which I ran across on the dresser in my cabin as soon as I came in. It is strange what satisfaction and happiness one can get out of a few words scribbled or typewritten on a yellow sheet, just before sailing across the deep unknown. Several of us left the ship and ate dinner in the city, but had to pay dearly for it later, as many supplies were received and all hands were kept very busy until after midnight. Many letters and reports had to be gotten off to Washington as no more mail could be sent off until our arrival at Yokohama (except the next morning at Victoria). The usual excitement of leaving for a trip across the pond was, however, missing, or toned down to a great extent, as we are already many miles from home and in a foreign country. Friday, August 3rd -- On Board Empress of Russia. We sailed out of Vancouver sometime after midnight. We anchored early this morning at Victoria, B.C., which is on Vancouver Island, miles at sea from Vancouver City. At breakfast (my first meal on the Empress of Russia) we are advised that the ship will sail at 4:00 P.M., so accordingly we are making arrangements to go ashore and see something of Victoria. Several of us hired an automobile to go sight seeing. We saw, among other things, abandoned training camps, entrenchments, bayonet practice dummies, which consisted of bales of straw swung from horizontal bars, etc. We drove through the park and took a number of pictures and finally landed at the Canadian Pacific Hotel. This is truly a great hotel for such a small town. It seems impossible that the Canadian Pacific Railway can make money on this investment. We saw a number of youngsters in bathing although the water must have been pretty cold. The population of Victoria is about sixty thousand, but this has been considerably depleted as this immediate vicinity has contributed fifteen thousand men to the front. We saw a good many soldiers, but of course not nearly as many as we saw at Vancouver. It is a feature of the Annual Reports of the Banks in Victoria to list the names of those of their staff who are at the front. Those killed are shown on the Honor Roll. We later returned to the ship. We were all impressed with the cleanliness of the city and the beautiful lawns and flowers, of which there are an abundance. There are several ships in the harbor, some unloading and others loading. Among them there is a Japanese steamer, from which rice is being unloaded rapidly. Promptly at 4:00 P.M. the Empress of Russia backed away from the pier and by night we are again out of sight of land and this time for many days. I am in a very nice room with two others of our party about midships on B deck. The two assistant secretaries and myself room together. Our room contains two good bunks, or one bed and a bunk above, and a bed lounge. We drew lots and it is my luck to get the bed in the lower. We also have a wardrobe and a washstand, the top of the latter when lowered turning this piece of furniture into a very serviceable desk. We have Chinese waiters, room boys, etc., in fact all Chinese help, and the rapidity with which your wants are taken care of is nothing short of remarkable. They understand only a few simple English words and these have to be spoken very slowly, but none of us have found it necessary yet to speak slowly in order to be sure the service is performed properly. The sign language is the universal language and already we are becoming adept at it. Our Room Boy's name is "Aha" and the Dining Table Boy "Ahoy" -- another's name is "Lum Ti". We were assigned to the first sitting in the Dining Room. I am at a table with three others of our party, just to the left of the Captain's table. The above is not set down in its proper place in this wonderful little dairy, but may prove interesting, so I jotted it down -- will write more later. Saturday, August 4th -- Ideal weather this morning with a nice breeze and the Empress of Russia is making good time and incidentally causing some uncomfortableness among our jovial party. It seems rather early in the game to record cases of mal de mer, but three of our nurses are already suffering to some extent from it. At a meeting this morning at 10:00 A.M. in the Dining Room, Colonel Anderson stated that various members of the Unit, who were well informed along particular lines, would be requested to deliver short talks from time to time. To start the ball rolling, he invited Major Kirkpatrick to make a brief talk regarding the conditions which we are likely to encounter in Roumania. Major Kirkpatrick is the Director of our Medical Unit and saw service in the Serbian campaign, at Belgrade, Serbia, for about four months, shortly after the World War started. He said that the deadly disease of Typhus, which is so prevalent in Roumania, and with which our Unit will have to contend, is caused by the bite of a louse. Typhus enters the system through the bacilli in the blood and its immediate effect is to poison the heart and impair the nerve centers. He spoke of Dr. Anderson, and one or two of the nurses, who had unfortunately contracted this disease, and stated that its effects, in some instances, were to produce physical disability for life. He stated that at Belgrade Typhus assumed a violent form, because the people were ill-prepared to overcome it. He further stated that the average Serbian was just as clean as the average American laborer or workman, that they wore a piece of cloth over their clothing, and examinations showed that their undergarments were changed as often as conditions permitted, but owing to the cold weather and lack of proper food and clothing, incidental to the ravages of the War, these poor people had huddled together in bodily warmth to minimize their suffering, with the result that Typhus became widespread. The treatment at the hospital at Belgrade was to strip the patients, shave them thoroughly, bathe and then anoint their bodies with naphthol. The patients are then taken onto the front porch, or receiving room, where many of them die but some respond to the treatment. This kind of talk naturally had the effect of causing everyone among our party to think more of the serious side of our Mission and work up plans in advance as far as possible. There were, however, many ludicrous remarks passed, but the questioners were after all looking for information. Many of us wanted to know what kind of looking insect it was and whether it crawled, jumped, hopped, or just how did it manage its locomotion. Another wanted to know how the vermin could be "baffled". It seems that this particular deadly species of the family moves by a slow crawl and can not hop or move rapidly, and the only way to baffle it is by the liberal use of kerosene or naphthol to prevent it from using you as a habitation. He stated that in their hospital work, the physicians used an operating gown with a tight draw string around the neck band, wrists and feet and certain antidotes were sprinkled at these various points of entrance to discourage these apparently inquisitive visitors. After listening to Major Kirkpatrick's talk, we began to realize what a great clean, healthy country we were leaving behind us. Such is life, we are never satisfied and can not be convinced without being shown, that we are already better off than the other fellow. That poor little country of Roumania must be in one awful fix. About 11:00 A.M. today, two of us were on the top deck about midships talking rather generally on the subject of the submarine campaign. We were suddenly aroused to the fact that we were aboard a ship in the Pacific by several blasts of the whistle. We were naturally chocked full of excitement, thinking that a submarine was after us, and to bear out this belief, we saw coming from every doorway along the entire side of the ship, chinaman after chinaman, until the deck was half filled with the yellow men, and, in less time than it takes to tell, there they were lined up ready at the various life boats. The life boats (with the exception of one large one on each side of the ship on the deck) are all carried swung outward ready for an emergency. It developed, however, that this was not an emergency, but a life-boat drill, and we witnessed many others before reaching Yokohama. Sunday, August 5th -- Church services were held at 10:45 A.M. in the Dining Room, being conducted by Capt. Robinson, assisted by the Chief Officer. The Service was that of the Church of England (Episcopal), but very simple and really impressive to me. Even the rawest sinner, when at sea, must feel very meek during a Church Service. The Captain occupied the seat at the head of his table, over the end of which had been spread the British Flag; a candelabra with three candles burning was in front of him. The attendance was good. We felt somewhat out of place in praying for the good health of King George, but we are on a ship flying "His Majesty's" flag and being protected by men of that nationality. Weather much more desirable today and, although it is foggy, it is pleasant on deck, but cool. Today being Sunday the Chinese waiters discarded their picturesque white gowns, which resemble to some extent night gowns, and appeared in a similar costume of blue. The Head Steward wears white when the others wear blue, and visa versa. Everyone comments upon the good food, but more particularly upon the remarkable efficient service. We also had Church Service in the evening. We attended in a body. The Service was opened by Rev. J.H. Cashmore of the Church of England, followed by Bishop Burt of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Buffalo, N.Y. He was followed by the Rev. Moore Anderson of the English Presbyterian Church, who is a Cambridge man now located at Shanghai, engaged in missionary work. The music for the Service was rendered by Miss Torrence, one of our nurses. Monday, August 6th -- Smooth sea day. Everybody is happy. We had our regular meeting at 10:30 A.M. in the Dining Room. One or two of the party suffering from mal de mer were not able to sit up and take notice. Major Peridna delivered an address upon the subject of sanitation, which was quite interesting. I am very busy today checking up accounting matters, as I have been given the job of Assistant Treasurer, in addition to Assistant Secretary. Tuesday, August 7th -- Sea continues smooth -- have been hoping to see real rough weather, but there seems to be no hope. One of my room-mates is with me in the hope that we will see the old ship pitch and toss. After traveling across the Pacific it seems foolish not to have known or experienced what is known as real rough sea. We may get our wish yet. The Empress of Russia is plowing along through the water rapidly, but the day’s run was not posted. Due to the war, the Captain has issued orders that the day's run be not posted. At the meeting at 10:30 A.M. Major Peabody addressed us on the subject of personal sanitation. He laid stress upon the fact that the ways of the East are not the ways of the West. As indicating the viewpoint of the Japanese, he spoke of a monument erected by them in one of the hospital grounds to the rabbits, which had given their lives (or had them taken from them) in the cause of vivisection. No wireless messages are allowed to be sent from the ship at all, but we do receive occasionally news items, which are posted and read by everyone with considerable interest, in order to keep up with the Russian situation. Dancing going on every evening immediately after dinner just outside of the Dining Room. It is not necessary to be introduced -- after twenty-four hours on board ship, it is considered perfectly proper to speak to any one or to request a dance of any lady, although you may not have seen her before, even on board ship. We are availing of this custom of the sea. We are unfortunate (and I suppose the nurses fortunate) that only one of our nurses has so far braved the dancing. This one young lady is kept extremely busy as long as she will stay in the Dancing Room, but we of course dance with the others also. There are Spain, Holland, England, France, America and other countries represented among the dancing ladies, of whom there are not more than twenty. There are never twenty couples dancing at one time. It is no easy job to dance either, at first, on a ship that is rolling one way and then another, but it is great sport and we enjoy this feature of the trip very much. It is very common to see all of the dancers suddenly start toward the same side of the ship and then miss a step or two before they catch their balance. Download 399.67 Kb. Share with your friends:
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