Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1919-07-11

THE v
wait short time. However, they
could hold him back no longer after
his younger brother, Shirley, enlisted
and went to war. Alfred enlisted May
10 and was sent to Fort Lawton.
Soon he YVES transferred to Fort
Douglas, Arizona, as a member of the
Sixth field artillery.
After several months of strenuous
training his battery began the jour-
ney to the point of embarkation,
reaching Hoboken July 26, 1917.
After a 16 days voyage on the old
cattle ship Henry Mallory" they
landed at st. Nazaire August 10. Just
three months after his enlistment
On October %, at $50 a. M, his
battery had the honor of firing the
first American shot of the war, and
from that day on his life was one dar-
ing deed after another.
He was in practically all of the
major engagements of the war follow
ing his arrival in France. When re-
called to the rear he would protest
with his superior officer. claiming that
he came ito goto the front and there
was where he wanted to be-"
Often in his letters home to his
folks he would say, there l am where
I want to be-. His only worry was
for his younger brother, whose safety
he was always guarding.
The following letter from Sergeant
Petrush tells of the death of the
Olympia hero after whom the local
post Of the American Legion has been
christened:
1T was in the battle Of the Ar
gonne woods that your boy was killed
on October 6, 1918, about 8 a. m. The
first division started its drive on Oc-
tober 4. They also advanced the next
day but met desperate resistance. On
the 5th we lost heavily-that is, Bat
terry D. of which your son was a men,
Der. At that time Alfred was at the
horse line about eight kiiometers in
the rear of our position. It was on
the 5th. after every gun crew in the
battery had suffered a loss of two or
more men, that we received word to
send some men to replace the dead
and wounded.
When this word was received they
Immediately asked for volunteers to
60 to the position, and Alfred, may
God bless him, was the first to jump
up and offer to go. He joined my gun
crew that same night The next
morning we arose early. or. as you
would say. we got out of our holes
early. as there was no sleeping. due
to the heavy fire. After working on
our holes for a while we fired for
about one-half hour and Alfred was
working as No. 2-that is, loading
the gun. We we're ordered to cease
firing as the Boches' 88's started
dropping very close to our guns. I'm
mediately every man went to his
hole. three men being where your
son was. The shells started coming
thicker and closer until they were
getting direct hits on our position.
Order Proves Fatal.
I'VE were then ordered to leave
the position and 1t was then that he
" 90 hAe' ~ oduO Sucll WOuuQcu
three other men and killed two, your
son and a man named Franklin, who
also volunteered, land came out with
Alfred. jumped up to my feet
after that one exploded, and. seeing |
everybody abandoning the position,
l glanced to the right. where saw
Alfred lying on his stomach facing
the front and his feet in the hole.
Il jumped alongside of him and
put both arms around his waist and |
turned him around so that I could |
look into his eyes. When did so
life was leaving for the eyes were
starting to open very wide. He saw
my face as I turned to him saying.
Leach. say something In reply he
took a deep sigh and died looking me |
straight in the eyes. A second later |
he was dead in my arms. Alfred was
a very good boy, as big-heartcd as he |
was big, and we all mourned the loss.
A loss of that kind is very hard to |
bear. ! beg his parents, brothers and |
sister to bear up bravely, for he died |
with pride and honor to his country.
MAY his good soul live forever
He was killed at Fleville and
buried at Apremont sur Aire.
The next meeting of the Alfred
William Leach Post will be held
Ju1v ~