The Republican journal., 1916-10-05
A TRIBUTE TO THE LATE CHESLEY
HATCH.

In a recent issue we presented a brief obit-
uary Of Chesley Hatch, son of Mr.. and Mrs
George o. Hatch, formerly of this city and
now of Buckfield, Me-, who was killed in action
the battlefelds of France between July 18th
and goth. and repeat it in part in connection
with the letter from the chaplain of his regi-
ment, which follows. Mr.. Hatch, boyhood
was spent in Belfast, where he attended the
public schools, graduating from the High school
in the class OF 1911. After leaving school he
worked while in Boston and while there
joined the fremont Temple Baptist church in
January, 1918. In October. 1914. he went to
England to offer his services to the British
army. He was at the Dardanelles during the
summer of 1915. suffering the hardships of
that disastrous campaign,and where he received
a wound from which he did not recover until
the following winter. While in training before
going to the front he won one stripe, making
him Lance Corporal, and on the field he won
February, through the kindly Offices of our
Consul at London, he could have obtained his
discharge, but he declined it. choosing to do
what he considered his duty. As soon as he
was able to go to the front again he volunteer
ed for service in France and left England May
18th. He was member of the Kings Own
Royal Lancaster Regiment, regiment that
has distinguished itself in many wars from
England's earliest history. The chaplain's
letter:
France, Aug. 6, 1916.
Dear MIR. Hatch: 1t is with great sorrow
that write to offer you my heartfelt SYM
pathy in the great lJss which you have sus-
tanned in the death of your son. Lance Cor
poral Hatch, who fell in action during the
great advance on the Somme.
Our battalion suffered heavily from an
obIique shell fire and your boy one of
those who fell on the field of honor. killed in
stantly by a fragment OF she'll / know his
death will be great blow to you and l want
to assure you of our profound sorrow at the
death of SO good soldier and so true friend.
Many hearts here sad, and all ranks want
to JOIN with me In expressing our deep SYM
pathy with you in the hour of bereavement.
Your boy made an excellent soldier, and had
he lived he would have been promoted, for he
earned the greatest confidence of his officers
and proved himself possessed of dauntess
courage, great keenness and initiative. He
was In every way an admirable soldier, and
his death is a loss to the Battalion, which can
ill be spared. He Joined, l know, from de-
sire to do his bit against the powers of dark
ness, against social Death and moral stagna-
ton, and unfllnchingly he has followed the
same path of duty and self sacrifice that our
Savior Himself one trod. counting not his
life dear unto himself but bravely making the
great sacrifice and laying down his life for
what he held dearer than life itselt-his own
imperishable honor and the safety of others.
1t is glorious death. and we may be sure
that the path which he has followed, although
it has led to the grave, doesn't end there but
leads on to the peace of the eternal shore be-
yond, where are mastering deafness
array of heroes-the bravest and the best of
our manhood-who have fought the good fight
and won their crowns of immortality. He is
not lost to you forever. one day you will find
him again and then the bitterness of parting
will be swallowed up and forgotten in the Joy
of perfect and eternal reunion.
May God comfort you in your sorrow and
strengthen you to give your boy up as brave
ly as he gave himself.
In true sympathy believe me.
Very sincerely yours
NJ P G LEONARD,
Chaplain H. M. Forces, Kings Own Royal L.
Regiment, British Expeditionary Force.
France.