The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1918-03-14
LIEUT.. JOHN /, DAVID
KILLED IN FRANCE
THE FIRST TO VOLUNTEER FOR
FOREIGN SERVICE
His Death Brings Sorrow to Hum
dreds Of Friends in State
and County

france, was Killed In action March
LIST. This announcement will bring
genuine sorrow to scores of Lieut..
David's friends throughout the
county and state.
The details Of Lieut. David's
death were not given. His father.
DR.. J. H. David, received a telegram
from the war department Monday
night at o'clock announcing thai
Lieut.. David had been killed in act
ion March 1st.
There was no more popular Young
man in Dillon county than Lieut..
David. He numbered his friends by
the hundreds. not only in Dillon
county but all over South Carolina.
Graduating from the South Caro-
lima Military Academy in the class
OF 1913, where he took high stano
In his classes. Lieut.. David returned
TO Dillon and was associated with
his father in agricultural and mer-
camille pursuits until the declaration
OF state of war between the United
States and Germany.
Lieut.. David was the first Dillon
county boy to seek admission to the
ofhcer's training camp at Ft Ogle-
thrope, but was rejected on account
OF slight physical defect. Having
onered his services to his country he
could have returned to his usual
pursuits in civil life without the
slightest sacrifice of honor, but he
was determined to be of service to
his country and going to Washing
ton he secured q special permit from
the War Department admitting him
to the officers training camp. Here
he took very high stand and at the
endk three months was given q
Arat lieutenant's commission.
When his company commander
asked for volunteers to go to France
Lieut.. David was among the first to
oner himself for foreign service, be-
ing the first Dillon county boy to
volunteer for service abroad. After
q brief furlough at home he was or
dered to New York where he spent
several weeks drilling raw recruits
and preparing men for foreign duty.
He sailed for France in October and
shortly after his arrival was assign
cd to duty in the trenches. Letters
were received from Lieut.. David at
regular intervals and while he was
not permitted to toll what part he
was taking in the war, yet careful
reading between the lines showed
that he was in the fiercest Of the
1ghting. In one letter he told Of
% wi inc tn
eral weeks in mud and water waist
dep and spoke Of the comforts he
enjoyed while out OF the trenches for
brief rest.
While the details of Lieut.. David $
death will not be known until a full
Ter report is received from the war
department. yet it is probable that he
lost his life in the fierce fighting be-
tween the American and German
forces on March 1st. This was the
hrst big engagement with the enemy
and although the Americans were vic
torlouS. the casualty list was heavy.
In this engagement the Germans us
ed all the barbarous methods they
could conceive OF to dcmoralize the
were met with undaunted courage
and they were finally driven back to
their trenches with great loss OF life.
The first to volunteer for service
abroad. Lieut.. David was the first
Dillon county boy to die in action on
foreign soil. His death brings the
war with Its attendant horrors close
TO the hearts and homes Of hundreds
OF Dillon county people.
In early life John David's ambit-
ion was to be a soldier. 1t was a
dream Of his boyhood days and as he
grew into young manhood his fond
Aess for the military increased
Shortly after entering the Citadel he
was rendered an appointment at the
United States Military Academy but
could not enter on account Of a
slight defect OF vision. This was a
great disappointment to him, but he
continued his studies at the Citadel
with unabated energy and when he
graduated from this institution he
took high stand in military
science. He promptly took advan-
tage Of the first opportunity circum-
stances offered to follow the pro-
fession he loved so well. and it is
safe to say that il his manner Of
death had been Of his own choosing
he would have preferred to die as he
did n soldiers death on the battle
field fighting in defense OF human
rights and liberties
John David will be missed in the
community. He was a model young
man Khn hald truth and honor 90