War Is Hell on Earth Says Sgt. Moore of Rocky Mount From Hospital Bed in France, 1918

“War Is No Joke to American Soldier,” from The Carolina Watchman, Salisbury, N.C., Nov. 27, 1918

Sergt. Moore of Rocky Mount, Now in Hospital, Describes Horrors

Rocky Mount, Nov. 10—War is no longer a joke to the American soldier, it is “hell on earth.” This is the testimony of Sergt. George H. Moore of Rocky Mount, who is now in a base hospital “somewhere in France,” suffering from wounded received in action.

But despite its horrors the American boys push forward driving the Germans before them and doing the impossible. Sergeant Moore is of the “Old Hickory” division and states that it was mentioned in official orders, and also by the allied commanders for the valiant work of its members. The young fighter sustained a bullet wound in the left hand, in the right forearm and a gas burn on his right arm. He states he was getting along nicely and expects to rejoin his unit soon.

In describing the horrors of warfare as encountered and surmounted by the boys of Uncle Sam he says: “I sure did get out lucky compared with what some of the boys got. I saw sights that I had never dreamed of and if I had been told that such would happen I would have never believed it.

“One man was sitting beside me, and as I looked around after a shell had exploded near us, I could not recognize him. The upper part of his head was gone, and his left leg broken in two places. I did all that I could for him, but he died before I could get him to a first aid station.

“The war is not any longer a joke; it is hell on earth. Imagine being in a hole with tons of iron and steel being hurled at you, nothing to do but sit and trust for the best. I was blown off my feet by the explosion of a shell and still did not get hurt. Very soon after on October 17, I caught those bullets that Jerry loves to hand to us, and you bet that now I see where I was luck in just getting a small wound.

“Our division had been mentioned in orders, and also by allied generals for the good work done by us. It makes us feel proud when these honors are bestowed upon us, but we are sorry when we think of the pals who are left behind. They will never reap the honors or know what the world has gained by their sacrifice. Their names will always be sacred to us.

Sergeant Moore was formerly a member of the North Carolina national guard and receive his training at Camp Sevier after the guard was sworn into federal service.