Show f MISSION THAT WAS GRUESOME aask ask of burying the dead Is graphically described in in diary of french lieutenant march 23 list night I 1 was as de detailed with iab half my lily section to bury the lead dead the task anas as not a pleasant one but it was nas accomplished without reluctance or hesitation to do the ork oril nt at night made it a more icil lugubrious u A guide conducted us to a little thicket all laid ime bare by grapeshot grape shot to the south of Por perthes Porth thes cs and about three kilometers from the first lines chelc nas is no moon and it was is very verv nearly pitch darl dark kiench rockets streaked the sky here and there mid nd from the diR distance tance caino caine the crack of musketry shells were ere laboring labo laboi iiii ing baith ly knitli the beav breathing of wild mild heists beats in a rage lage A little trench was as made into a large laigo one to receive the bodies and then we n 0 had to set out in search of them thein they had been lying bing thale for a very icay long ion time rime and it was as only the lie recent advance of our lines files that made it pol possible to bury them with sonic we c managed to make inake out thee motion loss heaps on oil tile the ground it was N as aary essaiy qa ry to search tile the pockets and take out pipers anoney inanc ino nc etc also to unfasten the identification badges that aru are knorn orn on the arm like a brace bracelet Iet it ni as not an ety easy thing to do in tills this ilso I 1 was as obliged to set fact the ecamp I 1 C I 1 had bud to put lily m gloved hind hand into tile the pockets of a foul mass that fell to alece 3 at a touch I 1 found nothing but a pocketbook and diary the men inen then took courage and overe amu their aversion when our task inns as finished the abbe vo had its of ills his OMI accald stopped stepped to the edge of the grave grae ind and laid ud a blessing blesing and that priest staining st aiming out against the darkness lifting ills his voice above aboe thu the noise of battle kutlu in a lust last solemn duty to those pitiful fragments nas as very cry fine every man of us whether bother boned by religious Klig lous conNic tIou or not felt the of the moment and violt to licar hear the nords of forgiveness mid of life bioni a french lieutenants dlag jn ili the atlantic tI antIc |