The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-05-29
Priests. Pastors and Rabbits
With French Regiments.
Their Duties Lie Where Shells
Fly Thickest.
MANY DEEDS OF HEROISM
With Blood Flowing Upon
Crucifix and CaSSOck.
Chaplain Saves Five Men
Buried Alive by Shell.


Radical and Socialist parties against
the presence of priests at the battle
fronts in daily contact with soldiers
has brought sharply into public notice
the work which these priests have
done and are doing at the front
1t required a special Intervention to
produce for priests even the ''privi-
lege" of going to the front. Prior to
May, 1913, no chaplains were provided
for the army. The minister of war
at that time provided in a decreee that
in case of war two Catholic priests,
Protestant pastor and a rabbi should
be attached to each group of stretcher-
bearers of an army corps, and two
Catholic chaplains to each division
which had no Observation-Disclosures.
Many Clergymen Died Heroes.
Thus about 100 priests and half as
many Professionals and Israelites were
authorized to accompany the army.
When war began, Count Albert de
Nun, since deceased, obtained from
the minister of war authorization for
priests to enlist as chaplains with the
approval of their bishops up to the
number of $50 in addition. Count
for 80 more Protestant pastors while
sixteen additional rabbis were named.
The number of priests who have
given their lives on the field of battle
has not yet been counted, for besides
the chaplains there are several thou
sand priests incorporated in the auxil-
larry services, or who volunteered for
active service. A great many deaths,
however, have been reported among
the chaplains under heroic circum-
stances. The rabbi, Abraham Bloch,
was fatally wounded at Saint-Die by
a fragment of a shell at the moment
when he tended a crucifix to wound
ed soldier who had taken him for a
Catholic priest. The Able VilIier,
chaplain of the civil hospital of Arras,
was killed by a shell while seeking to
save his patients during a bonn bard
died at the extreme point of positions
conquered by the Zouaves with whom
he went to the assault
Killed Giving s'First Aid
Three chaplains gave up their lives
during the battle of Champagne; the
Able Thinot struck by a shell while
digging out men buried by the explo-
sion of a mine; the Able Perrot and
the Able Pouch, who fell, the former
while looking after a fallen soldier
and the latter while giving first aid
to general of brigade wounded on
the field of battle.
A chaplain from the region of YER
dun gives the following graphic recital
of an experience: I'VE celebrated
Easter under the shrapnel, within 300
yards of the German trenches, and the
Credo was saluted by a fusillade
Our trenches had been converted into
green bowers with flowers and ivy
garlands. On Good Friday fourteen
stations had been marked with crosses
in the communicating trench for the
solemn procession.
Blood Generously Shed.
"At half past two, just 1 had con-
fessed my last penitent. bullet hit
him in the neck. The blood spurted out
just as the last words of dissolution
were uttered. 1 gave him first aid,
and then he turned his brave eyes to-
ward me and murmured: You have
cared for the body, now look after the
SOUL l offered up a, prayer that went
with his departing soul, while the
blood flowed upon my cross and cas-
sock. 1t was in that condition that
proceeded on the road to the cross
and at the twelfth station 1 offered
the pure vermillion blood of that
brave son of France to Christ and
with all my heart 1 said: Our Lord,
that blood was generously she'd"
Bishop Ruch, as chaplain of a Sec
ton of Stretcher-' carers of the tn
corps, was decorated with the Legion
of Honor and the war cross on the
field of battle, and cited in orders as
follows: Charles Ruch, bishop, eff
faced himself in spite of his eminent
dignity and gave proofs in modest
post of untiring ACTIVITY and devo-
ton, notably in the latest combats
visiting the first line trenches, seek
ing for wounded on the line of fire
and watching at night in exposed field
hospitals. His calm courage has
acquired for him the affection of ev-
eryone."
Shell SmasheS Altar
In a little sector taken from the
Germans, where there was a church
riddled by shells, the chaplain of the
victorious regiment decided to say
mass while shells were Screeching to
right and left. A projectile crashed
through the only window remaining
intact, smashed the altar and threw
the chaplain and his assistants to the
floor Fragments of the shell struck
the priest in the head, while another
broke his right arm at the elbow and
another at the wrist.
For the chaplain as well as for the
combatant, heroism is the small
change of everyday existence at the
front His place is wherever there is
fighting. He often falls under the
shells and bullets, and frequently
reaps the same reward for gallant
conduct as that of the fighting SOL
der. The Able Henrocque, simple
priest at the beginning of the war, is
now a knight of the Legion of Honor.
He lifted men as they fell under
heavy Smelling, with suffocating gas
projectiles, dressed their wounds and
carried them to shelter. He was
wounded in the head and arm by
shell that exploded three yards away;
he stopped only to wipe the blood
from his eyes; an instant later a heavy
projectile upheaved a section of the
French trenches and buried two Off
GERS and six men: Able Henrocuue