Over The Top

the next morning we would "go in" to "take over." At six in the morning our march sta

ould not figure out anything attractive in again occupying the front line, but Pete did not seem to mind, said it was all in a lifetime. My left heel was blistered from the rubbing of my hea

ped over a loose signal wire, and let out an oath. As usual, Pete rushed to his help. To reach the fallen man, he had to cross this bashed-in part. A bullet cracked in the air and I ducked. Then a moan from the rear. My heart stood still. I went back and Pete was lying o

ad to kneel down to get the words. Then he gave me a message to write home to his mother and his swee

and carried it to the nearest first-aid post, where the doctor took an official record of Pete's name, number,

ing. That afternoon, five of the boys of our section, myself included, went to the little ruined village in the r

t-scarred apple tree and carved out the following verses

God; true

duty to

ore name t

of Honor of

ir God, enshr

ife of ete

apter in En

ns doing

soldier, m

gotten by

e are think

est we are b

went over to say good-bye to

anket. Then placing two heavy ropes across the stretcher (to be used in lowering the body into the grave), we

ying a wreath. Immediately after came poor Pete on the flag-draped stretcher, carried by four so

hrough the little shell-destroyed villag

these troops came to the "attent

nly salute a Private is entit

es would go whistling over the village to

, and laid the stretcher beside it. Forming a hollow square aroun

acking" in the air above us, but Pe

the flag having been removed, we clicked o

e of my comrade. On the Western Front there are no coffins, and you are lucky to get a blanket to protect

trench, I wrote two letters. One to Pete's mother, the other to his sweetheart. While doing

hem, Pete was unknown. Pretty soon, in the warmth of their merri