Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-09-11
NEW TESTAMENT SAVED
BURLINGTON BOYS LIFE
Lee Tracy Tells How Fulfillment
of Promise to Memphis Maid
Enable Him to Live to Bring
Her Much.Desired Iron
Cross


United Young Peoples Bible class of
Ihe Baptist Church Sunday noon the
copy of the New Testament with a
piece of shrapnel about half an inch
In diameter imbedded In one corner
and which was prevented from enter
ing his body near the heart by the
thickness of the cover of the book Lee
Tracy of Ledge road, who saw service
Tor 1s months in France with Com
pany B. Fourth Engineers, Fourth hi
vlsion,-fold the story of his experiences
In thesgreat world war. The address
was'orresofunusuai interest for a Bible
class. fnasmuch as a Bible saved the
life of*the speaker.
His address as given YESTERDAY fol-
lows:
While coming across rhe continent
from Vancouver Barracks Washing
TO Camp Greene, North Carolina we
stopped considerable time in Memphis.
Tenn. so | had the opportunity to
see my best girl friend and saw good
bye to her. Knowing that il would
be some time, if ever, when we would
meet again. she wanted me to carry
some remembrance Of her: so she gave
me her little New Testament and made
me promise to carry II through thick
promised to bring her back on iron
cross from one Of those mean old
Germans" as she called them.
The little Bible went with me every
where. first to Calais and the English
sector where we were in training with
the Tommies: next II went to the sec
ond battle Of the Marine when we en-
glneers constructed the lines of trench
es that checked the German advance
to Paris on the 18th OF July. II went
to the Vesle river. where we construct
ed bridges under continual shell FIRE
for FIVE nights. II saw our overwheln
ing victory at ST Mihiel and on the
evening OF the 25th OF September IT
was with me when our company OF en-
slneers entered the shell shattered town
or Esnes near the Areonne forest
BY shell-shattered" I don't mean an
occasional house was destroyed Esnes
is only few Kilometres from the sc
tual front line trenches and had been
under ceaseless she'll fire for more than
-FOUR years. Every house was demol
ished and the village was an immense
Pile or stone and debris Underneath
TINS however, were dueouts that were
almost bomb proof
troops had been concentrating at
this point for several davs and the
caves we're full. When we engineers
arrived about midnight there was no
room for US. The captain gave us or
hers 70 make out as hest we could
Sc We fell out and hunted shelter.
wandered off alone and found a place
under tumble-down roof that would
partially protect me from the rain
that was now coming down disagree
ably. My newly-found home was all
ready filled with douehboys. but thev
crowded together to make room for
one more
| was getting comfortably placed
and was about to lie down when a
shell came over and exploded a short
distance from us, The bits of sharp
mel flew everywhere. some of them
landing on our roof The experienced
soldier learns to figure out these
shells so that he may approximately
judge where they are going to land
and get out Of the way. Some Of the
fellows picked up their beds and
walk ed to safer quarters but the
others, like myself, were either too
sleepy or they grudged giving up
such comfortable quarters for the UNI
known. Eleven OF us STAYED.
1t was only a short time when an
other shell came singing over the hill
The big ones make considerable noise
and may he heard for some distance
We were listening for it, but even
then there wasn't much time, | didn't
| stop to think, but ] knew If the first
came so close, this might come as
near II not nearer. ] made a dive for
hole that offered little more pro-
lection. AZ the same moment, the
shell made a direct hit on our home
| and tore things up quite hit. OF
|
| gas and ! held my breath iii I could
crawl back to my bed to get my gas
mask. but. when | put il on II was
| filled with holes and therefore use
| less. ! could hold my breath no longer
and ] though my time had surely
| come. Somehow 7 stumbled to the
| roadway and called for first aid, A
nearby sentry went to the hospital
| and found help for the fellows who
| were still in our unfortunate home.
Four of them were instantly killed
and the other six were seriously
| wounded.
| I went to the hospital unaided; yet.
every breath was a struggle and | thought
| each next one would be the last At
the hospital | was tagged and ready for
| the first ambulance in the morning TO
take me back to the base There was
|
fellows were having their wounds dressed.
| In the meantime I tried everything TO
get this awful weight from my lungs.
Knowing that gas was heavier than air
| | boosted myself against the wall So that
l was standing on my head. | thought
| this might shove some of the gas out.
| Whether this helped or not, I felt better
and was able to breathe more freely.
BY dawn I felt nearly like my old self
and decided l would not go TO the hos
| pital. The big fun would start the
next morning when our company went
over the top with the infantry, This
was the first opportunity We were
afforded to meet the Germans first hand
tore off the tag that would send me
back to the base This was my chance
to make good my promise to the little
girl in Memphis.
| ! could look myself over now | was
a sorrylooking sight, Part of my blouse
had been torn away by shrapnel a small
piece had passed through my shoulder
padding. my collar button had stopped
another bit from entering my neck. and
the little Testament was in the way ot
the piece that would have wounded me
near the heart, Aside from the gas
was not injured
Our home was completely shattered
Every bit of equipment was DESTROYED
MY gun was cut in two at the small of
the stock, the blankets were porous. and
my pack luggage was strewn in every
direction. The shell had landed only Ave
feet from where ! was about to sleep and