The sun., 1916-01-23

~
" Said Gen. Weston. COM
mander Of the division. in
sn address at Gallipoli to the Dublin
Flnliers after fifteen days Of contin-
nous fighting. You have achieved
tho impossible. When I first visited
this place with the stan we all thought
q landing could never be made. But
you did II The impossibilities were
ovsrcome. I am proud to be in COM
msnA Of such . regiment"
Cen. Weston was cheering up his
men because he knew they were un-
usMily depressed BY the loss Of q man
vho WaS the idol OF the famous old
nshdn6 BundherA He made no
sksfenco to their sorrow. for they all
teN that the memory Of II was too
pcignAnt to b recalled Just then.
thsr minds and hearts were all on
sns and tho sams scene. Their own
ssiAntry was forgotten In the remem-
bsance OF that little man in khaki
Sith . priests collar and the ascetic
face Of a student who had died with
these words on his lips: Are our TEL
lows w!nning?"
Aye, they were winning; winning
after one Of the bloodiest engagements
Of the war. but in Father William
Finn. their chaplain. they had lost
them all from General down 10 the
youngest soldier in the ranks.
1t was on Thursday, April s. that
the transport Ansonia sailed for Gall
Lpol!. On board there were two clergy
men, Father William Finn. the Catholic
chaplain, and the Rev. II. c. Foster.
the Church OF England chaplain. to the
Second Naval Brigade. Shortly after
the young priests death at Gallipoli
Mr.. Foster wrote an appreciation OF
his gallant conduct his blameless
character and the geniality OF his dis
position.
TO see him quietly at work among
his own men OF the Dublin F'usiliers,
writes Mr.. Foster. gave one a clue as
As TO why this courageous priest was
." respected and beloved. He always
had a sympathetic ear for the trials,
trloulations, difficulties and troubles Of
his men and when they were depressed
and tired OF the somewhat monot-
onous life on board the transport, he
Vas ready with an amusing tale and
cheery word. SO much so that the
irlsh soldiers as usual twisted his
name biz and he became widely
known as Father Billy O'F'lynn Of the
Dublin Fusliers'
I know" said the Rev. Mr.. Foster.
that he helped his men to live purer
ana better lives. He called his daily
mass his Few Words and one thing
u certain-his talks will not be for
gotten by those who were so fortu-
nate as TO hear them. Many OF his
latter addresses were on the subject of
contrtion, and he taught all his men
little act Of contrition to use when
'hey required II, and he asked them
especially 10 repeat II II they were
wounded and no priest was nigh: o
my God. am sorry that have sinned
against Thee, because Thou art SO
good and ] will not sin again."
Father William Finn is a fine figure
on one OF the glorious pages OF English
bravery. The Dardanelles had to be
s'ormed. That was the order from
London, and the landing was 10 be
made on the Gallipoli Peninsula. The
horr'Ts ri that scene can scarcely be
described
Tho transports. filled with soldiers
mostly frishmen. steamed as close to
the shore as possible, but kept outside
'ne range Of the Turkish guns. All
slng the shore they could see the
Wlck lines of barbed wire, and behind
inc nils they knew that merciless
engines of death had been erected with
every range accurately fixed. The
suns were trained to catch the men
'hey landed, When the order came
~ o!sembark from the transports and
VI enter the boat waiting to take them
70 death the first regiment to do SO
"sS the fghtine Dublin Fusiliers.
me day appointed was Sunday
"prll 20, ~ thi, year On the Satur-
"aY before their chaplain. Father
rhn. n"ard the confessions OF the
"'h on board the transport, which
vas 'hen anchored on the historic
N'shd "f Tenedos. said mass for his
meh and gave them holy communion
az 'nrough the wars In which they
Na'e taNen part IL has been recog.
.'%ea mat the Irish are among the
m'~t religious soldiers in any army
."e,r oraNery without doubt Ia due
F" tne'r religious piety.
FOR the reason" says recent
,er "tnat he is a praying man the
man.