Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1918-04-10
CHAPTER VIII.
- LittIe Wooden cross.

ne IiLLlG HFOShSh SRNoSs
After remaining in rest billets for
EIGHT DAYS. we received the unwelcOme
tidincs that the next morning we would
$50 in" to take over" At six in the
morning our march started and, after
q long march down the dusty road, we
again arrived at reserve billets.
was No. / in the leading set of
fours. The man on my left was named
pete Walling," a CHEEKY sort of fell
low He laughed and joked all the
way on the march, buoying up my
drOopfng spirits. I could not figure out
ANYTHING attractive in again occupying
the front line, but Pete did not seem to
mind. said it was all in lifetime. My
left heel was blistered from the rub
bling Of my heavy marching boot. Pete
noticed that I was limping and offered
10 carry my rifle, but by this time had
learned the ethics of the march in the
British army and courteously refused
his offer.
We had gotten halfway through the
communication trench, Pete in my i'm
mediate rear. He had his hand on my
shoulder. as men in a communication
trench have to do to keep in touch with
each other We had just climbed over
a bashed-in part of the trench when
In our rear a man tripped over loose
signal wire, and let out an oath. AS
usual, Pete rushed to his help. To
reach the fallen man he had to cross
this bashed-in part. A bullet cracked
in the air and I ducked. Then moan
from the rear. My heart stood still.
went back and Pete was lying on the
ground. By the aid of my fiashlight
I saw that he had his hand pressed to
his right breast. The fingers were COW
cred with blood. I flashed the light
On his face and in it's glow grayish-
blue color was stealing over his coun-
tenanCe. Pete looked up at me and
said: well, Yank, they've done me in.
l can feel myself going West" His
voice was getting fainter and I had to
Eneel down to get his words. Then he
gave me a message to write home to
his mother and his sweetheart, and /,
like a great big boob. cried like baby.
l was losing my first friend of the
trenches.
Word was passed to the rear for a
Stretcher. He died before it arrived.
Two of US put the body on the
Stretcher and carried it to the nearest
lrSt-aid post, where the doctor took
an official record of Pete's name, num-
Oer, rank and regiment from his iden-
uty disk, this to be used in the cas-
ualty lists and notification to his
family.
We left Pete there, but it broke our
hearts to do so. The doctor informed
Us that we could bury him the next
morning. That afternoon five of the
ooyS OF our section, myself included,
went 10 the little ruined village in the
rear and from the deserted gardens of
ule French chateaux gathered grass
ana flowers. From these we made a
wreath.
"hiie the boys were making this |
wreath, L sat under a shot-scarred |
apple tree and carved out the follow
Ius verses on a little wooden shield |
which We nailed on Pete's cross.
me DS, 70 his God; true to Britain,
lung his duty to the last.
oAe more name to be written
1Ae Roll OF Honor of heroes passed |
%SSeo TO their God. enshrined In glory, |
oL''esing life of eternal rest.
0s more chapter in England's story
"eF sons doing their best.
~, you soldier, mate so true.
EsNeT forgotten by US below;
F 1Nat we are thinking of you,
70 our rest we are hidden to go.
.,eN morning the whole section went
S S,eF 10 say goOd-by to Pete. and laid
Oi'l away to rest.
~ a,'er each one had a look at the face
n ole dead. corporal of the R. A.
- SeWed up the remains in a blan-
g. men placing two heavy ropes
,o>S Jhe stretcher Ito be used i'm low
a. me BODY into the gravel, we lift
tele onto the stretcher. and rev.
,sol- covered him with a large union
M 'ne flag he had died for.
H. | chaplain led the way, then came
~, oL-cerS Of the section, followed by
m. wi me men carrying a wreath. In
A., 'eiy after came poor Pete on the
ors,,''eu stretcher, carried by four
E,5.,>, was one of the four. Be
A.. '.e Stretcher, in column of tours.
'"e remainder of the section.