Connecticut western news., 1919-06-26
LEG SAVED !. BY "" MAN
Captain in 26th Div. wounded at Chateau Thierry, tells of service rendered by ~Y"

Boston, Mass.-That his leg was saved at Chateau Thierry by the prompt and fearless action of a Y. M. c. A. secretary, is the statement of Capt. Walter W. Austin, AT School st., Broohline, Mass, who has just re- ceived his discharge from the 3rd Bat, 104th Inf, 18th Division. The ''Y' man is T. B. Lathrop, pastor of the 1st Congregational church in Branford, Conn, a church which is soon to celebrate it's 275th anniver- sary. MT. Lathrop returned in Jan, uary after nearly year of service with the Yankee Division in the front lines, and marched with his men in the parade, April 25th- For his conspicuous valor at the field dress ing station on the outskirts of Tourcy MT. Lathrop has been recommended for the Distinguished Service Cross by Major James H. McDade, also of the 3rd Battalion, who will return next, week to his former position in the advertising department of the Boston Transcript.
 'The 3rd Battalion, 104th Infantry went forward on July IS, 1918, at two o'clock in the morning. The towns of Tourcy and Gievry were taken from the Germans in our advance that day. was wounded at about five o'clock in the morning by a high explosives shell, fragment of which passed through both thighs, tearing the left leg badly. I was taken from the feldi by the stretcher bearers to a dressing station in charge of Capt. Kirkpat-t rick. M. c. of Lynn. He had raised the flag of the army Red Cross over al stone culvert under the road. The Boche observers had spotted the flag and the place was under a terrific and constant shen fire day and night For tuntely there were no direct hits dur ing the time Capt Kirkpatrick was stationed in the culvert, nearly 48i hours .l
 When was brought in there were, 16 other cases lying on the earth un- der a stone arch where the doctor was working by candle light. If it. had not been dry weather Tor several. days before we would surely have, 
 that morning but not enough to get in under the shelter. @ .Es,
 "The Captain finally came to me and attended to my wounds. The left leg he could not do much for and he! said that If I were not rushed to ai hospital would certainly lose the leg. It was quite problem to move! me from that protected place to a hospital where could get surgical att tention. The motor ambulances could! l not back up to the culvert- The shells were falling as thickly as rain. on every side of us. Before I was, wounded I never felt fear of being. under fire but believe me with both legs smashed was scared cold to gol out where the shells were breaking.
 ,"Mr. Lathrop, the " secretary with our battalion, was assisting Capt. Kirkpatrick in his care of the wound ed. He was at work every minute of those 48 hours of the advance in that, place. The moment the doctor or, dered me to hospital, without an in-i stant's hesitation, MT. Lathrop picked me up in his arms. walked out of that culyert, and barely escaping death dozen times, placed me in a motor ambulance that was about to leave i for the rear. .: "f as 1 understand, Major Mo ] Dade has recommended MT. Lafhrop, for the Cross, I for one am here, or: any place, to back up that recommen- dation."