The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1918-02-16
CHAPTER VIII.


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After remaining in rest billetS for
eight days, we received the unwelcOme
tidingS that the next morning we would
"go in to take over" AT six in the
morning our march started and, after
a long march down the dusty road, we
again arrived at reserve bllletS.
/ was No. in the leading set of
fours. The man on my left was named
pete Walling" CHEEKY sort of fel.
low. He laughed and ioked all the
way on the march, bu0ying up my
dropping spirits could not figure on
anything attractive In again occupying
the front line, but Pete did not seem to
mind said II was all in lifetime. My
left heel was hliStcred from the rub.
,bing Of my heavy marching boot. Pete
noticed that | was limping 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, rs men in communication
trench have to do to keep in touch with
each other. We had just climbed over
baShed-ln part Of the trench when
in our rear man tripped over Il 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 hashed-ln part. A bullet cracked
IN The air and ducked. Then a monn
from the rear. Ny heart stood still
went back and Pete was lying on the
ground. BY the aid OF my fiashight
| saw that he had his hand pressed to
his right breast. The fingers were COW
cred with blood / flashed the light
on his face and in its glow grayish.
blue color was stealing over his coun-
tenance. Pete looked up at me and
said swell, Yank, they've done rue in.
can feel myself going West" His
voice was getting fainter and / had TO
kneel down to get his words. Then he
| gave me message to write home to
his mother and his sweetheart, and I.
! like great big boob, cried like a baby.
/ was losing my first friend Of the
| trenches.
Word was passed to the rear for a
stretcher, He died before II arrived.
Two Of us put the body on the
stretcher and carried it to the nearest
tirSt-aid post where the doctor took
an oltlcia record of Pete's name, num-
her, rank and regiment from his iden.
! tity disk, this to be used in the cas-
u0lty lists and notification TO his
4 family.
We left Pete there, but 1t broke our
hearts to do so. The doctor informed
Ms 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
wreath
While the boys were making this
wreath, | sat under Shot-scarred
/ ppple tree and carved ont the follow
Ing verses on little wooden shield
| Which we nailed on Pete's cross.
/ True to his Cod true to Britain,
/ Doing his duty to the last,
just one more name to be written
| On the Roll of Honor of heroes passed
/ Passed to their God. enshrined in glory,
Entering life of eternal rest
One more chapter in England's story
OF her sons doing their hest
Rest, you soldier, mate so true,
Never forgotten by us below:
Know that we are thinking of you,
Ire to our rest we are bidden to GO
Next morning the whole section went
over to say gOod-by TO Pete, and laid
him away to rest.
After each one had look ut the face
of the dead, corporal of the II, A.
NJ. c. sewed up the remains In blan-
ket. Then placing two heavy ropes
across the stretcher Ito be used in low
ering the body into the gravel, we lift
ed Pete onto the stretcher, and rev.
erently covered him with large union
jack, the flag he had died for.
The chaplain led the way, then came
the officers Of the section. followed by
two of the men carrying wreath. I'm.