The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-20
MEMORIAL TABLET
TO HONOR HEROES
win Be Placed in District At
torneys Main Hall.

The names OF the three members OF
the District Attorneys staff who were
killed In action overseas are to be per-
petuated on a bronze tablet commence
rative OF their deeds, which will be
placed in the main hall of the District
Attorneys suite in the Criminal Courts
Building.
The names that are to be cast are the
following: Lieut. John Manning Battle,
killed in France July 10, 1918; Lieut.
John p. Mahon, who lost his life October
81, 1918, in Belgium. and Corporal John
wilkins, killed at the River Vesle in
France, August 20. 1913.
Pictures Of the men will be hung on
the wall above the tablet, and letters re-
lating the circumstances OF their deaths
will be filed with the records OF the Dis
trict Attorneys office.
One OF these letters, that dealing with
| the heroic end OF Lieut.. Battle, was writ
ten by Lieut. Parker Vanamee Of the
Twenty-third Infantry, a fellow officer
with young Battle in that regiment 1t
Is addressed to the dead Lieutenant's
father. George Gordon Battle Of this
city.
1t gives an account of Lieut. Battles
| pare courage and unselfsh conduct after
he was mortally wounded. Lieut.. Van
he was severely injured by the explosion
OF a shell. was found lying in the road
| by Lieut.. Malloy, at whose direction he
| was placed on stretcher and carried
| toward an ambulance. CHANGING to pass
| that way, Lieut.. Eanamee said he was
cheerfully greeted by young Battle from
the stretcher, who, he said. was tryins
10 minimize his own sufferings and So
licitously inquiring about the others who
had been wounded.
| I'm afraid I'm done for" he esid &c
Lieut. Vanamee; hit in the stomach and
| back Are all the men looked after r.
Assured that he was tho last man TO b.
carried of the feld, he replied That,
good. just give me cigarette and pu
me in!'
Just as gently as we could" writer
Lieut. Vanamee. I'VE put him in the am
bulance. He never WINGED or made Q
sound. just pulled slowly at his cigarett,
and went Off with a 'Good-by, old man
many thanksr"
Lieut. Mahon's death in action is de
scribed in letter received by hi
brother from Mahon's Captain, who, In 1
glowing tribute, refers TO him as 9Th,
finest and most fearless young officer h
had ever seen anywhere"
The brave Lieutenant fell while leadlnJ
his company In an attack on a stronl
position that was part or tho battle lin
In Belgium He was struck in the alb
domen by a hall of machine gun fire an,
expired on the field soon after in tn
arms OF his sergeant On the day OF hi
death Lieut. Mahon had been awarde,
the Belgian Crolx de Guerre for galan
try In action.
Corporal wilkins. the youngest OF tn
three. general favor!te in tho clerk
Office at the Criminal Courts Buildins
was killed by a machine gun bullet Will
leading an advance patrol across IN
Mans Land" on the Eese Corpora
Wilkins Is said by his sergeant to hay
gone forth cheerfuily TO duty tina
held only a slim promise that no woul
return alive. In the face of almost Ger
tain death he went undaunted, carryin
his usual smlle--a smile that had wo
him friends everywhere. and had cheere
up entire platoons on many a wear
|; hike.