FIRST TO FALL

Evening Star, Issue 16677, 8 March 1918, Page 8

FIRST TO FALL

AMERICAN CASUALTIES. AN IMPRESSIVE GRAVESIDE CEREMONY. Directly behind the front-line trenches there took place on November- 4 tho funeral of three American soldiers, the first to dve their lives for the cause of right. The scene, under a grey sky and with rain falling steadily, was very impressive, writes ' Tac Times’*;’ correspondent at American Headquartern. Three companies of infantry' from the batiahon to which the dead had belonged, American artillery detachment®, and a. number of French infantry and artillery, formed a hollow square round the three graves. At the head of each grave a small silk American flag flow in (lie wind, and during the entire ceremony salutes were fired in honor of the dead—not tho ordinary salute, but shell aimed at and landing in enemv lines at one-minute intervals alternately from French and American batteries. After the coffins had boon lowered into the graves the general commanding tho French division under which tho American troops are being trained, delivered an address, in the course of which ho said; “In the name of the —th Division, in the name of tho French army, and in the name of Prance. I bid farewell to Gorpoial Gresham, Private Enright, and Private Hay. of the 16th Infantry, United States Armv. Of their own free will they had left their happy -and prosperous country to come to France. They wished to give their help, and, alro, their generous hearts did not forgetold historical memories. They had taken tneir place on the front by tho side of France, and they have fallen facing the foe in a hard and desperate hand-to-hand fight. Honor to them! Their families, their friends, their fellow-citizens will be proud to learn of their death. “Men, these graves—the first to be dug in our soil of Franco, at but a short distance from the enemy—arc as a mark of the mighty land of our Alliee firmly dinging to Hie common task, confirming the will of the people and the army of tho United States to light with ns to a finish, ready to sacrifice so long as it will be necessary, until final victory fothe noblest, of causes—that of the liberty of nations, of the weak os well as the mighty. Therefore, the dcaih of ihis humble corporal iind these two private soldiers appears to us rn extraordinary grandeur. “Wo ask.- therefore, that- the mortal remains of there voting men be left Imre—be left for ever to France. We will, in the fullness of peace, inscribe indelibly upon their tombs: ‘Here He (he firs-t soldiers of the Republic of the United States to fall upon tl» Hoi / of France in the cause of justice and liberty.’ And the passer-by will stop and uncover his head. Travellers through Fiance and from France, from every allied nation, from the-United States, those who. in reverence of heart, will come to visit these battlefields of France, will deliberately fj°. out of their way to visit these graves, and bring their tribute of respect and gratitude. " Corporal Gresham, Private Enright, Private Hay, in the name of France I thank you. God receive your souls. Adieu!”