The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-05-03
iEEO FOR PROTESTANT
CHURCHES IN FRANCE


| Of valor Of their own kind. as well as
! If the Christian pastor. cited six times
| Tor heroism In the field. has arrived In
| this country as delegate Of the Union
| Protestant committee of France to the
American churches.
| His special mission is TO co-nn"r.t g
, with the intcrchurch committee A"r
| Christian relief in France and Belgium.
composed of prominent clergymen and
iaymen, representing leading protest.
ant denominations. which is raising
funds for the restoration OF the French
Protestant churches ruined in the war
zones, and for giving temporary heip
to their congregations of returning
refugees The committee has ALREADY
sent abroad nearly 100000 for this
purpose. 1t estimates the totai sum
needed at $4,000, 900
Chaplain Leo comes 20 tell me story
II devastation which he himself wit
messed while his beloved chasseurs
we're struggling for years to roll oack
the tide of German ruthlcssness which
..awept across wide belt OF the most
prosperous part Of France. We WIFI
make addresses III churches through
out the country and IL expected 10
remain here until the campaign TO
raise the 81 coo. 900 fund is completed
When the war broke out Chaplain
leo was pastor OF the Reformed church
-AraaeAea-- Bordeaux where he
lad been serving for two years. Earfs
In August, 1914. he was modified as
a private soldier. like thousands Of
other French clergymen OF all creedS,
and was made an assistant on Red
Cross train. He ardently desired to
serve in Alsace, on the early regain
ing of which French hopes were then
centered. and was transferred there as
strescher bearer in January. 1919.
l., June of that year he received ms
FIRST citation IN an order of the sixty
sixth division. which said of him:
He was nattced on various occasions
from the first days of the war for his
courage and enduring qualities. WnNe
the Village tBitschwiller) was being
bcmbarded he showed absolute con-
tempt OF danger and entire self-sac-
riice. advancing now and again under
shells To take the dead or wounded
out of the storrned and burning,
, houses
Happening to fail in with some or
the Anime ehasseurs. Can}ain Leo be-
came fascinated by the dashinE valoy
and sterling traits OF the men OF that
famous command, At his own request
he was transferred tosthe sixty eighth
battalion of the chasseurs in August.
1918. as first line stretcher bearer. and
-t7rn t1~grr1 rrcrtod -s-rsice-with
them in which. for his exploits in res
cuing the wounded under Ere, he was
ranked as one Of the bravest of the
brave, even in such q group of men.
whose seorn of danger made them fa-
nous throughout the world soon at
terward he was appointed chaplain to
the Sixty-sevonth division, but re-
signed and was allowed TO return to
the chasseurs in order that he might
rot break the comradeship cemented
by months of danger in the face of the
enemy.
Captain Leo received his second cita-
ton for bravery in the battle Of Clery.
where the chasseurs proved their met
tie in a terrific struggle with the Prus-
sian guard At Sally Saillisei he was
cited for the third time. receiving the
military medal which he now wears.
with two palms and four stars. in ad-
dition to the Croix de Ciuerre
Noted for his courage and seif-de-
NAL, read the text of the third cita-
tion. he is looked up TO by all the
chasseurs. He has carried on. even in
the most advanced trenches without
any resting and under very severe
Smelling, the picking up and carrying
off Of the wounded"
Although exposed so many times to
the greatest danger. Chaplain Leo es-
tie Of the Aisne in April. 1917. when
he was severely wounded In the leg.
shoulder and elbow by an exploding
shell near Craonne. Threatened gan
creme. Inflammation Of the lungs and
pleurisy followed. and for a time his
life was despaired Of After years
invalidsm he was permitted to return
to duty with another citation to his
credit for his conduct in the battle in
which he received his wounds
While In the hospital nomination
came to him as chaplain to the Alpine
chasseurs. among whom. although a
private soldier. he had been doing reli-
gious work from the time OF his first
association with them IN the inter-
walls of combat trench duty and march.
when he could assemble few of his
FELLOW soldiers. he held religious SER
vices, to which these rough men were
far more receptive from one OF his
type than from another. After his re-
covery he was transferred as chaplain
10 the Ninth division in Alsace. and
this time he accepted the appointment.
Two more citations were placed to
his credit in the last year Of the war.
when he was In the thick of the fight
ing al the second Marine. In the fifth
citation an order OF the army described
him as 'splendidly devoted and brave,
helping to carry away the wounded
- VII Tic uTlHS nus. re mas given
extraordinary example and gained gen.
eral admiration"
In<his sixth citation, gained Tor his
conduct in an attack at Courlandon.
en- the Vesle. in cooperation with
american troops. the army order stated
that his bravery Is considered habit"
This was in October last.
Chaplain Leo had been mustered out
only, short time and had returned
to his ministry at Arcachon. where he
Joined his wife and three children,
when he received the summons to 20
to America as a delegate from all the
French Protestant churches. to tell the
people Of this country OF the need for
the work which the interchurch com.
mittee for ChristiAn relief In France
and Belgium II doing. With the UNI
complaining spirit OF soldier he ac-
cepted this new task, for which he
was especially fitted by his earlier stu
dent days 1t Harvard university. where
ne rsseived the degrNe q 4 I'll p. In