The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-07-07
AN AMERICAN BOY IN THE FRENCH TRENCHES

in to clean 1t up, the odor was 30 oT1
erpowering that we had to put on
our gas masks. On entering, we first
saw two dead nurses with our gnastly
flashlights, one standing with her arm
round a post, just as she had STOOD
| when gas or conclusion Killed ner.
Seated at a table in the middle OF the
place was the body Of an old general
of the German medical corps, his
| head fallen between his hands. The
task of cleaning up was too dreadfui
for us. We just tossed in four or five
funite bombs and beat 1t out OF there.
! A few hours later we went into the
scared and empty cavern, mace the
roof safe with new timbers. and mott
fled battalion headquarters that the
I place could be occupied.
j During this time / witnessed
scene which-with some others-l
shall never forget. An old chaplain
of the Canadian forces came to our
trench section seeking the grave OF
his SON, which had been marked for.
him on a rude map by an officer who
|! had seen the young mans burial. we
managed TO find the spot, and, at the
! old chaplain's request, we: exhumed
the body. Some Of US suggested 10
/ him that he give us the identification
marks and retire out of range OF the
shells which were bursting all. around
Jus. We argued that II was unWise TOR
him to remain in danger. but what
we really intended was that he snoulo
, be saved the horror Of seeing the pit
iful thing which our spades were
about to uncover.
81 shall remain" was all he said.
HE was my boy"
It proved that we found the right
body. One of our men tried to clear
THE features with his handkerchief but
tended by spreading the handkerchief
over his face. The old chaplain stood
beside the body and removed his
trench helmet, barring his gray head
Ito a drizzle Of rain that was falling.
Then, while we stood by silently. his
voice rose amid the noise OF burst
ing shells, repeating the burial service
of the church Of England. have
never been so impressed by anything
in my life as by that scene.
The dead man was young captain
He had been married to a lady OF
Baltimore, Just before the outbreak Of
the war.
The philosophy OF the British Tom
mics, and the Canadians and the Aus
itralians on the Somme was a remark.
able reflection Of their fine .couraeo
through all that hell. They go about
their work, paying no attention to the
flying dead about them.
IF Fritz has a shell with your name
and number on it," said a British
Tommy to me one day, you're going
to get it whether you're In the front
line or seven miles back. If he hasn't
you're all right"
! Fine fighters, all. And the Scotch
kllties, lovingly called by the Germans,
"the women from hell" have the re.
spect Of all armies. We saw little OF
1.-The Poilus, except few on leave. All
the men are selt-sacrificing to one an-i
other in that big melting pot FROM
which so few ever emerge whole. The
only things it is legitimate to steal
III the code of the trenches are rum
and flags" (cigarettes.) Every other
possession is as safe as II 1t wore
Yale lock.
Copyright, 1917, by The Bell Syn
dictate, Inc.)
The fifth article OF this remarkable
personal narrative will appear next
Saturday