Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1918-05-17
CHAPTER VIII.
The Little Wooden Cross.

After remaining in rest hilletS for |
eight days, we received the unwelcome |
tidings that the next morning we would |
ego In" to take over" At six I'm the |
morning our march started and, after
long march down the dusty road. we
again arrived ut reserve hllets.
was No. l in the leading set Of
tours. The man on my left was named
"Pete Walling" CHEEKY sort of fell
low. lie laughed and joked all the
way on the march, buoying up my
dropping spirits. could not figure out
anything attractive i'm again occupying
the front line, but Pete did not seem To
mind said It was all in lifetime. My
left heel was bliStcrcd from the rub
bling of my heavy marching boot. Pete
noticed that was Iimping and offered
to 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 communication
|
each other. We had Just climbed over
| bashcd-in part of the trench when
in our rear II man tripped over loose
| signal wire, and let out IN onth. 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 | ducked. Then q moan
from the rear. My heart stood still.
I went back and Pete was lying on the
| ground BY the aid Of my nashight
] saw that he had his hand pressed to
his right breast The fingers We're COW
cred with blood. I flashed the light
on his face and In its glow grayish-
| blue color was stealing over his cOun-
'tcnance. Pete looked up at me and
said: swell, Yank, they've done me in.
can feel myself going West" His
voice was getting fainter and had to
knccl down to get his words. Then he
gave me message To write home to
his mother and his sweetheart. and l..
like great big boob, cried like n baby.
I was losing my first friend of the
trenches.
Word was passed to the rear for a
Stretcher. He died before IL arrived.
Two of us put the body on the
stretchcr and carried II to the nearest
iirst-aid post, where the doctor took
an official record of Pete's name, num-
her rank and regiment from his iden-
tity disk. this to be used in the cas-
ualty lists and notification to his
family.
We left Pete there but 1t broke our
hearts to do so. The doctor informed
us that we could bury him the next
morning. That afternoon five Of the
boys of our section, myself included,
went to the little ruined village in the
rear and from the deserted gardens of
the French chateauX gathered grass
and flowers. From these we made a
wreath.
While the boys were making this
wreath, ] sat under shOt-scarred
apple tree and carved out the follow
Ing verses on little wooden shield
which we nailed on Pete's cross.
True TO his God true to Britain.
Doing his duty to the last,
Just one more name to be written
On the koll or Honor OF heroes paSSeu-
Passed to their God. enshrined In glory
Entering life OF eternal rest
One more chapter In Englands story
. or her sons doing their best
Rest you soldier mate so true.
Never forgotten by us below;
: Know that we are thinking OF you,
! Ere to our rest we are hidden to go.
, Next morning the whole section wen
, over to say good-by to Pete, and LAID
him away to rest.
After each one had look at the face
of the dead, n corporal Of the II. A
NJ. c. sewed mp the remains i'm blan
, ket, Then placing two heavy rope
across the strctcher Ito he used in low
> ering the body into the gravel, we lift
, ed Pete onto the stretcher, and rev
erently covered him with large unioi
. jack, the flag he had died for.
: The chaplain led the way, then cam
the Officers of the section, followed b.
two Of the men carrying wreath. I'm
medlately after came poor Pete on tn