Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-05
OVER THE TOP
BY
ARTHUR GUY ENIPEY,
An American BOY Who Went.
1917. by Arthur Guy Empoy.,

We left Pete there. but It broke our
hearts to do so. The doctor Informed
US that we could bury him tho next
morning. That afternoon. five OF the
boys of our section, myself included.
went TO tho little ruined village I'm
the rear, and from the deserted gar
dcns OF the French chatcauX gathered
grass and flowers. From these we made
a wreath.
While the boys were making this;
wreath l sat under a shot-scarred APP
pie tree and carved out the following
verses on little wooden shield Which
we nailed on pctes cross.
True to his God. true to Britain,
Doing his duty to the last.
Just one more name to be written
On tho Roll of Honor Of heroes pass
Passed to their God. cnshrined in glory.
Entering life OF eternal rest.
One moro chapter in England's story
OF her SONS doing their best.
Rest, you soldier. mate so true,
Never forgotten by us below;
Know that We arc thinking of you,
Ere to our rest we are hidden to go.
Next morning the whole section
went over to say good-by 10 Pete, and
laid him away to rest.
After each one had 4 look at the face
OF the dead. corporal or the r. 4.
NJ g. scwed up the remains In blank
ct. Then placing two heavy ropes
across the stretcher (to be used in
lowering the body into the Gravc). We
ltftcd Pete onto the Strctcher and rev
erently covered him with a large Union
Jack. the nag he had died for.
The chaplain led the way. then cams
the officers OF the section. followed by
TWO OF the men carrying wreath.
Immediately after came poor Pete on
the nag-draped Stretcher. carried by
four soldiers. I was one OF the four
Behind the stretchcr. in column OF
iours. came tho remainder of the sec
ton.
TO get to The cemetery we han +,
pass through the little shcll-dcstroyed
village. where troops were hurrying
10 ana fro.
AS the funeral procession passed.
these troops c:tm2 TO the "attcntion."
and smartly salutcd the dead.
Poor Pete was receiving tn. only
salute private is entitled to some
where in France.
Now and again n she'll from the Ger
man lines would so whstlinE over
the village TO burst in our artillery
lines in the rear.
When we reached the cemetery We
halted In 1t. l. Forming 4 hollow square
around the opening of the grave, the
chaplain rca.: the burial service.
German machine-Eun bullets wer.
cracking" in the air above us hut
Pete didn't mind. anil neither did we.
When The body was lowered into the
grave. the flag having b.en removed
we clicked our heels together and camc
10 the salute.
I loft before the grave was filled in
| could not bear to see tho di,t thrown
on the lankct-covercd face OF my
comraac. On tho western front there
are no collins and you arc lucky to get
a. blanket TO nrotec. you from the wei
and the worElG. Several OF the section
stayed and decorated the grave witt,
white stones.
That night. in the light of lonely
candle in the machine yunner's duEou,
of the front-linc ,rcrck. wrote tive
lctters-cnc TO Pctc's mother tho other
TO hi; sweetheart While doing this
I cursed the Prussian war-goG witt
all my heart. aud l think that st
Peter rnted same.
Tho machine EunnerS in Tie Gugout
were laughing and joking. TO them
Pete was unknown. Pretty soon. ir
! the warmth e their merrimcrt my
blues disappeared. One soon forgets
on the western front