The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1918-06-29
CHAPLAIN HoNoRED FOR eRAv.
cry TELLS WHAT BATTLES LIKE

mirably illustrated in the following in
terview dispatched by Bert Ford:
"You should go among the boys in
the ranks said Father John B. De
Wales. That's where you find heroic
Americans who are a credit to our be
loved flag. The nation will be as.
founded to hear how they fought.
There was no thought of fear. They
Just pitched in. No enemy in the
world can conquer such spirit.
"Striplings of eighteen showed the
fortitude of veterans. 1t was by bap-
tism of fire, and it was hell incarnate
While it lasted. There was a time
When l was afraid to stay alone in the
room during thunderstorm, and if
anybody had told me that could ever
go thru such thing would not have
believed it. You recoil for minute,
then you forget all about yourself.
Shells were dropping everywhere.
Men were dropping to the earth, stones
were flying and shells bursting all
around. Our dugout received one
direct hit, but no one was injured.
Lieut.. John Calvin of Greenfield
estate not siven) came to the dressing
station after. fighting CALAMITY all of
the first day. He told the doctor there
was something the matter with his
eardrums. He said he could not hear,
and it interfered with his work. The
doctor told him to battle his ears in
hot water. Calvin laughingly replied,
How am ! to get hot water when
can't even get cold, doc?'
II followed him to the door of the
dugout and shook hands with him. A
shell just then burst near where the
doctor stood. warned Calvin he had
better not stand near the door. He
was just about to go when another
shell burst in front of us. 1t mangled
the poor fellow He will be mourned
by the whole regiment. He was a born
soldier. He loved the military game
and was idolized by his men.
Il had to do little first aid work
of my own in addition to giving the
last rites to the dying. AS to the lat
ter, it mattered not what faith they
belonged to. If the man was non.
Catholic would say: "A prayer won't
hurt you. anyway, even if I'm not a
minister of your faith And in every
case they begged me to pray and bless
them. The spiritual feeling is strong
in such trying hours when death turks
everywhere. There were no denomina-
tional lines out there.
"Just after the battle word reached
me from some Of our men that Private
Charles Pipe, of Peabody, Mass, lay
wounded in No Mans land. They told
me he was a Protestant boy, but, Pro-
testant or Catholic, chaplains draw no
boundaries. ] crept around the dead,
but couldn't find Pike. came back
and got new directions and then tried
another place, but again failed to find
him. came across Pike at the dress
ing-station later, however. The little
patriot smiled when l reached him.
He had been wounded by shrapnel and
was unable to move. So carried him
back farther behind the lines, dodg-
ing the shells. Pike was getting along
finely.
"The first thing do is to give the
wounded drink Of hot tea. 1 carry
thermos bottle under my belt. Then
stick a lighted cigarette between their
lips, and that always brings smile, no
matter how badly wounded they are
it gives them new pep Then, when
they are ready for the litter bearers
and about to be carried away, I whis-
per in their ears, Courage, lad. God
bless you. Think Of God and your
mother
II sent sixteen of them down their
painful path that way, and every one
of them was smiling despite the pain.
When I visit them at the hospital the
first thing they ask is how soon they
will get back to the trenches to help
their comrades. They are always anx-
fous to know if they are sure to be
sent back to their old outfit as they
call their units. I wouldn't swap this
job for the best pastoral place in
America F."