The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-06-03
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 Y. M.
c. A. secretary, is the statement of
Capt. Walter W. Austin, AT School
ST., Brookline, Mass, who has just re-
ceived his discharge from the 3rd
Bat, 104th Inf, Goth Division. The
"Y" man is T. B. Lathrop, pastor of
the LIST Congregational church in
Branford, Conn, church which is
soon to celebrate its 275th anniver-
sary. Mr.. 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
Mr.. 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 Bird Battalion, 1O4th 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 high explosive
shell. a fragment of which passed
through both thighs, tearing the left
leg badly. / was taken from the field
by the stretcher bearers to a dressing
station in charge of Capt. Kirkpat-
rick, M. G. of Lynn. He had raised
the flag of the army Red Cross over a
stone culvert under the road The
Boche observers had spotted the flag
and the place was under terrific and
constant shell fire day and night. For
tuntely there were no direct hits dur
ing the time Capt. Kirkpatrick was
stationed in the culvert nearly As
hours.
when I was brought in there were
IL other cases lying on the earth I'M
der stone arch where the doctor
was working by candle light. If it
had not been dry weather for several
days before we would surely have
been out of luck. A little rain fell
that morning but not enough to get in
under the shelter.
"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 l were not rushed to a
hospital l would certainly lose the
leg. 1t was quite problem to move
me from that protected place to a
hospital where | could get surgical at
tention. The motor ambulances could
not back up to the culvert. The
shells were falling as thickly as rain
on every side of us. Before l was
wounded l never felt fear of being
under fire but believe me with both
legs smashed l was scared cold to go
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
'no"0 10 houlo VI TIE ADVANCE IN that |
place. The moment the doctor or
dered me to hospital, without an in.
stant's hesitation, Mr.. Lathrop picked
me up in his arms, walked out of that
and barely escaping death a
dozen times, placed me in a motor
that was about to leave
for the rear.
IF as l understand, Major Nc.
Dade has recommended Mr.. Lathrop
for the Cross, l fer one am here, or
any place, to back up that recommen-
dation."