Shelby County in the World War, Part 11

Author: Shelby County War Historians
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Decatur, Ill. : Review Press
Number of Pages: 224


USA > Illinois > Shelby County > Shelby County in the World War > Part 11


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36


The original dedicatory service was a feature of all-day patriotic exercises on December 2, 1917, in which Lieutenant Lester W. Miner spoke interest- ingly of the work of the Y. M. C. A., the pastor, Rev. N. H. Robertson delivered a patriotic address and there were appropriate songs and readings.


The subsequent stars and photographs were added in a special patriotic service during a revival mect- ing, Tuesday, March 26, 1918. The presentation of a new American flag and its unfurling, addresses by Attorney W. H. Chew, chairman of the local board, and Judge A. J. Steidley, and readings and solos, with a sermon by the pastor, were striking features of this meeting. The boys represented in these two lists were, namely:


Bridges, Howard Lee, Alonzo


Barker, Dewey Lovins, Lawrence


Broyles, Headen Miner, Lester


Downs, Harry Miller, J. Glenn


Freyharger, Floyd


Slifer, Tom


Frazier, Rennie


Storm, Clair


Frazier, Don


Sprague, Ralph


Frazer, Bernard Thompson, Henry


Goodrich, Lawrence


Thompson, William


Hudson, Nelson


Westenhaver, Burley


Hayward, Truman


Westenhaver, Marion


Jarnagin, Robert


Worley, Edmond


Kelley, Leo


Yakey, Murvin


Klauser, William


MASONIC SERVICE FLAG


In honor of twenty-two men who had followed the colors, representing a little better than 10 per cent. of its membership, Shelbyville Lodge No. 53, A. F. & A. M., dedicated a Service Flag in appro- priate exercises at the First Methodist Church Wednesday evening, May 1, 1918. During the course of the service the flag, bearing 22 stars on a field of white and red, was unveiled by Worshipful Master J. J. Baker, who served as chairman of the meeting. Participating in the exercises were the Ladies' Glee Club, the Rev. J. A. Tracy, I. M. Douthit, F. R. Dove, who read the honor roll and the service record of the men, and the Honorable Wm. B. Wright, judge of the Circuit Court, who delivered a patriotic address.


Page Sixty-Two


Nunn, A. C.


Neal, Edgar


Osborne, Harry


O'Brien, Roy


Powell, Ray


Parker, Burtos


Pauschert, Harry


Runkel, Arthur


The men represented on the Service Flag were: Auld, Frank P. Jarnagin, Robt. L.


Brown, O. C. Klauser, William


Moberley, Grider


Courtright, Vance Courtright, Harry


Miner, Lester W.


Davis, Samuel C.


Miller, J. Glenn


Eiler, Verner Price, John


Frazier, Rennie L.


Rominger, Will E.


Frazier, Don


Fought, Ellsworth


Tallman, Elmer Twiss, Chas. L.


Herron, Murphy A.


Westenhaver, Burley


Hite, Birney S.


Wendling, F. B.


SHELBY COUNTY TEACHERS' SERVICE FLAG


No other profession in Shelby County gave more generously to the man-power of the Nation during the war than that of the public school teachers. At the November meeting of the teachers of Shelby County, held in this city under the direction of County Superintendent of Schools Lee W. Frazer, a Service Flag bearing forty stars, three of them gold, was dedicated with appropriate exercises. The three gold stars were in honor of the following named men:


Charles E. Reiss, Shelbyville. George E. Moore, Tower Hill. Roy Ireland, Oconee.


The first named died of disease at Camp Grant, Rock Island, Ill., and the other two were killed in action in France.


The blue stars, representing former teachers in Shelby County schools and others who were ac- tively engaged in their school work here when called to the colors, were for the following named men:


of Mrs. Frances Welsh, was carried into the audi- torium by boys, while the choir sang "Hail to the Flag." Followed the flag's presentation to the church, its dedication, salute by the congregation and prayer. A further program of music, readings, an address by Honorable Geo. D. Chafee and the singing of "The Star-Spangled Banner," a solo by Mrs. Geo. D. Chafee and chorus by the audience, was given.


At the conclusion of these exercises the Service Flag was displayed, and the names of those repre- sented by the stars read. These, with others added at a later date, were:


Brown, Oliver Clinton Dearing, Bradford French


Hite, Birney Sinclair Nutt, Harrold


Thom, Steward McLean White, Walter Lawrence


Monroe, Henry E. Thompson, Theo.


Woodworth, Ray C. Williams, George W.


Williams, Roy


FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH SERVICE FLAG


In patriotic services held on the evening of Sun- day, July 7, 1918, the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Shelbyville dedicated a Service Flag and unveiled an Honor Roll bearing stars and names, re- spectively, of twenty-six members of the church and congregation who at that time were in the service. The list was as follows:


Austin, Glenn Bechtel, Oscar Bivins, Warren C. Fleming, Bruce


Davis, Sam C. Eiler, Verner


Barrett, Charles Gaylord, Everett


Cruitt, James Herron, Murphy A.


Coleman, Kirk Holloway, W. C .. .


Courtright, Harry Lamb, Orville Osborne, Harry Stretch, J. Leonard


Abney, M. D., Sullivan. Bodine, George, Detroit, Mich. Brewbaker, C. E., Beecher City. Curry, D. Bruce, Westervelt. Cannon, Lester G., Tower Hill. Davis, Sam C., Shelbyville. Dush, Ray, Cowden. Dobbs, Thomas W., Herrick. Evey, Fred, Tower Hill. Frazer, Bernard, Shelbyville. Francisco, Cecil, Findlay. Fry, Edgar, Cowden. Goddard, H. A., Hammond. Gregory, Blaine, Moweaqua. Howe, Clyde E., Cowden. Hickman, Nile W., Clarksburg. Hoover, W. Senn, Jacksonville. Jones, Delbert W., Strasburg. Kingston, Ray, Shelbyville. Lindley, Clyde, Windsor. McClory, Guy, Trowbridge. McClory, Regis E., Trowbridge. Moore, W. Frank, Tower Hill. McGilligan, Stanley, Shelbyville. Moon, Burl, Herrick. Mussett, R. S., Stewardson. Mills, E. E., Neoga. Reynolds, Guy V., Chicago. Rosenberg, H. E., Greencastle, Ind. Storm, Foster B., Neoga. Strohl, Roy, Clarksburg. Throckmorton, Chas. O., Strasburg. Theobald, Paul K., Shelbyville. Venters, Roy, Shelbyville. Wright, Cloyd, Cowden. Young, Gordon V., Oconee. Yakey, Murvin, Shelbyville.


-Photo U. S. Signal Corps


PRESBYTERIAN SERVICE FLAG


Among the early dedications of Service Flags was that of the First Presbyterian Church, which in a special patriotic service on March 24, 1918, un- furled a new American flag and displayed a Service Flag bearing the stars of six members of that church then in the service.


Following the introductory exercises, the Pro- cessional was played and the new American flag, procured to the church largely through the efforts


Orberg, Oscar Orberg, Russell Parker, Thomas Parish, Ben Parish, Harry


Stretch, George Sims, Glenn Tallman, Leverett Theobald, Paul K. Wallace, Bert


The services in which this Service Flag was dedi- cated included patriotic music and addresses of an eulogistic and patriotic nature by Dr. J. C. West- ervelt and the pastor of the church, the Rev. M. G. Coleman. Practically every branch of the military service was represented in the list of service men.


Page Sixty-Three


SHELBYVILLE HIGH SCHOOL SERVICE FLAG


A beautiful feature of the decorations of the Shel- byville High School auditorium in 1918 was a large Service Flag, the stars on which represented former students of that institution. Many of them were graduates, while some of them had not finished their course. The list, which included the name of the Principal, Paul K. Theobald, who left Shelbyville with a contingent for Fort Thomas, Ky., only a few hours before the commencement exercises of the senior class of that year, is as follows:


Auld, F. P. 1.amb, Orville


Bowman, Fred H.


Miller, J. Glenn


Barrett, Charles


Miner, Lester W.


Bechtel, Oscar


MeColley, Wm. G.


Becker, Milton


Mc Bride, Eddie


Cecil, Eugene


Moberley, Grider


Courtright, Harry


Price, John


Cannon, Lester


Parish, Ben


Pauschert, Harry


Frazer, Bernard


Ruff, H. 1 .. Smith, Claud


Freybarger, Floyd


Slocum, George


Fought, Ellsworth


Scarhorough, W. E.


Fisher, George


Storm, Clair


Ilite, B. S.


Terry, Gaylord


Jarnagin, R. L.


Thompson, William


Johnson, Robert


Twiss, Chas. L.


Kelley, Leo


Wakefield, Everett


Klauser, Arthur


Wall, Adrian


Kull, Carl


Worley, Edmund


Kull, Paul


Wallace, Bert


Wallace, Ogden


Many other students and alumni of the High School were in the service later.


COWDEN CHRISTIAN CHURCH SERVICE FLAG


Forty-one stars appeared on the Service Flag of the Christian Church of Cowden at the time of its dedication, Sunday, March 10, 1918. The services were under the direction of Scout Master M. W.


Williams and the Rev. F. M. Morgan. One of the stars represented Miss Mary Buzzard, serving in Base Hospital No. 66, in France from Dec. 2, 1917. The men of Cowden and vicinity for whom stars were placed on the flag were:


Askins, Harlin Kroeninger, Earl


Burris, Cecil R.


Lawhorn, James


Banning, Henry


lawhorn, David


Cherry, T. E.


Montooth, Arnold


Christy, Floyd


Mitchell, Don


Curtis, Fred


McGee, Sylvester


Conrad, Ralph


McGee, Bee


('ross, Everett


Nichols, Robert


Casstevens, Don


Phipps, Claud


Carlisle, Roy


Riggs, Martin


Dush, Roy


Riemann, Edward


Davis, James


Roadarmel, Vivian


Flannigan, Rollo


Stamper, Leverett


Fowler, Ralph


Steagall, Rabron


Garrett, Hubert Taylor, Miles E.


HIorn, Oral


Tressler, Lane


Horn, Edward


Wright, Cloyd


Henry, C. K.


Williams, Thurman


Heath, George


Wiley, Ray


Kroeninger, John


Walters. Clark.


EPWORTH LEAGUE SERVICE FLAG


Honors were achieved by the Epworth League of the First Methodist Church of Shelbyville, when in a District Epworth League Convention at Deca- tur on Saturday, June 15, 1918, it was awarded a Service Flag by reason of the local chapter's having more of its members in active military service than any other Epworth League chapter in the district, including those of Decatur and many other towns and cities in several counties. Fourteen members were represented on the League's Service Flag. They were, namely:


Austin, Glenn G. Lamb. Orval


Bechtel, Oscar


Orberg, Russell


Courtright, Harry


Orberg, Oscar


Coleman, Kirk


Osborne, Ilarry


Davis, Sam C. Stretch, J. Leonard


Eiler, Verner Theohald, Paul K.


Holloway, W. C.


Wallace, Bert


The Thirtieth Division


More than thirty Shelby County men were in the Thirtieth Division, which had some of the roughest experiences of the A. E. F. Landing in Liverpool May 27, 1918, it proceeded directly across the island and to Calais, where it landed May 28. After three days it proceeded a short distance by train, then hiked to Louche, where the month of June was spent. On July 2 the march to Belgium was started, and at 4 p. m .. July 4, the division reached Watou, Belgium -the first American troops to enter Belgium. There it drew the fire of the German long range guns by day and bombing planes by night. Attached to the Fourth English army, the division soon got into the thick of the fray. Early in August the division took over the sector between Ypres and Kemmel Hill, and drew large shells and gas shells from the enemy daily. Aug. 30 the boys went over the top and cap- tured Vermerzeele, while the 27th Division took Kemmel Hill on their right. This was the begin- ning of the last big drive the allies made in Belgium.


Relieved Sept. 3, the boys were sent to a small town near St. Pol, France, thence to Pincourt Woods, near Roisel. The division there had its greatest task-the breaking of the Hindenburg line between St. Quentin and Cambria. At 5:50 a. m., Sept. 29, a long range gun announced the zero hour, and hell broke lose. Immediately the allied artillery on a 72-mile front laid on the enemy's trenches the deadliest barrage the world has ever known. After five minutes of bombardment, the barrage lifted and the infantry went over the top, keeping well up with the artillery fire. So deadly was the allied fire that


prisoners captured said they could not live on the enemy side, and were glad to reach comparative safety with the allies.


On Sept. 30 the Americans advanced their sta- tion to what was formerly the enemy's trenches, in which were found good concrete dugouts. The Aus- tralians sifted through the American lines, and the latter dropped back to Pincourt Woods, then further back to the banks of the Somme. These boys re- turned to the front about Oct. 8, remaining for a few days, and then were relieved and dropped back to Ramicourt. Again they went to the front for an- other siege in the trenches, returning from which they retired to Behewcourt, remaining there until the cessation of hostilities.


In the State Service


Captain Frank B. Wendling, a Shelby County man, was during the war and is still in the state service. He was born in Shelbyville on Jan. 1, 1862, a son of the late George E. and Frances Wendling. He is state senator from the Fortieth senatorial dis- trict, and also since May 1, 1913, has been attached to the Adjutant General's Office, with rank of cap- tain. On the above date he was commissioned by Governor E. F. Dunne, after a very rigid examina- tion, with questions furnished by the United States army authorities. His headquarters are at the state arsenal in Springfield, where his duties are exacting and important.


Page Sixty-Four


Davis, Samuel C.


Fry, Edgar


In Memoriam


Abbott, Ivan P., Findlay.


Beck, Win. R., Gays.


Bennett, Russell, Herrick.


Bixler, Clarence M., Findlay.


Broughton, Wilber, Stewardson.


Bruns. Herman T., Pana.


Carroll, Arthur, Shelbyville.


Carroll, Glen, Moweaqua.


Casstevens, Geneva, Fancher.


Collins, Herbert J., Assumption.


Corson, Howard T., Tower Hill.


Cox, Chiarles, Windsor. Curry, Ota D., Gays. Farris, Noah F., Bethany.


Flinn, James W., Cowden.


Garrett, Earl A., Windsor.


Good, James A., Shelbyville.


Gordon, Lester, Findlay.


Gordy, Cecil, Clarksburg. Harlan, Remann H., Moweaqua.


Haverstock, Robert F., Stewardson.


Ireland, James R., Oconee.


Jester, Thomas S., Pana.


Johnson, Lloyd, Shelbyville.


Kirker, Geo. H., Moweaqua.


Krieg. Paul, Stewardson.


Lading, Henry C., Strasburg.


Lee, Elza L., Findlay.


Lucas, Willis, Mook, Ky.


Mars, Jesse, Clarksburg.


Mars, Truman G. L., Clarksburg.


Mecliling, Alva, Shelbyville.


Moore, George E., Tower Hill.


Morris, Aaron E., Westervelt. Nippe, Fred W., Strasburg.


Orberg, Oscar P., Shelbyville.


Osborn, Clo C., Tower Hill.


Patient, Orlando F., Findlay.


Pieper, Henry F. W., Strasburg.


Pugsley, Maxwell, Neoga.


Reiss, Charles E., Shelbyville.


Rodgers, Clifford A., Tower Hill.


Ruff, Andrew E., Strasburg.


Russell, Noah O., Trowbridge.


Sarver, LeRoy, Henton. Sarver, Wm. E., Herrick.


Schutte, John L., Sigel.


Settles, Chas. V., Shelbyville.


Sherlock, Frank, Shelbyville.


Smitlı, Chas. F., Holland.


Sphar, Chester W., Tower Hill.


Stivison, James F., Moweaqua.


Sudkamp, Lawrence, Sigel. Sutton, Clarence, Windsor. Tressler, Vollie L., Lakewood.


Vanderpool, Roy, Shelbyville. Walker, Bert P., Windsor. Wall. Adrian, Decatur.


Watkins, Ira C., Hanson.


Weakley, John P., Moweaqua.


-Reproduced by courtesy of Ladies' Home Journal. Copyright Curtis Publishing Company.


5


IVAN P. ABBOTT


Ivan P. Abbott, a son of Mrs. Martha Dawdy of near Findlay, died in France of wounds received in action. Previously he had been reported as wounded severely, and later announcement of his death was received by his mother from the war department at Washington.


Abbott culisted at Shelbyville, and left there on Feb- ruary 23, 1918, with a contingent of 54 men for Camp Taylor. Louisville, Ky. He was in the same contingent with Ilerman Bruns, Lester Gordon, Andrew E. Ruff, Wm. R. Beck and Chas. V. Settles, all of whom have a place in the gold star section of this history.


Further particulars concerning Abbott were unobtain- able.


All that happens in the world of nature and man,- every war, every peace, evcry horn of prosperity, every horn of adversity, every clection, every death, every life, every success and every failure, all change, all perman- ence, the perished leaf, the unutterable glory of stars,- all things speak the truth to the thoughtful spirit. -Rufus Choate.


WILLIAM ROSS BECK


Private William Ross Beck was one of four children of Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Beck of Gays who gave their services to their country during the war, and he gave inore than his services-his life.


W. R. Beck, aged 25 years, was inducted into the army February 22, 1918, leaving Shelbyville February 23, for Camp Taylor, Ky., at which point he was in training one month. Leaving there on March 22, he was transferred to Camp Sevier, S. C., where he was in training about six weeks. From there he was transferred to Camp Mer- ritt, which was his last station before sailing for France,


WILLIAM ROSS BECK


where he was destined to meet his death while fighting for the liberty of the world. His movements are best told in the following excerpt from a letter received by his relatives :


"Win. R. Beck sailed from Boston May 12, 1918, for Halifax on the British S. S. Laomedon; irom Halifax May 16 for Liverpool. On the 21st the boat was at- tacked by U-boats on the Irish coast, but the attackers were beaten off and three of them destroyed. Landed May 27, and from Liverpool traveled to London and Dover, then across the channel to Calais on the 28th of May. On June 2d, we went into training at Yeuse, and July 1st we began our hike to the lines in Belgium, near Ypres. We spent the last ten days in the front lines with the British, on the right of this town. On August 15th we took the sector from Ypres to Mt. Kemmel. We were in the last battle of Kemmel, and took Voormazeele September 2-the first town taken by American troops in Belgium. September 5th we were relieved from this sector and were then used only as storm troops. We were in the St. Quentin and Cambrai drive, and took the Hindenburg line at Bellccourt September 29. Among other towns your brother fought for were Nanroy, Es- tress, Busigny and Escaufort.


"In the woods between Busigny and Escaufort on Oct- ober 9 your brother was wounded by a machine gun bullet."


On November 5 the family received a letter from the nurse who attended young Beck, to the effect that he was very seriously wounded in the abdomen and died at 7 o'clock p. in., October 9, a few hours after being wounded. He is buried in grave No. 4, plot 3, row A, in the military cemetery at Roisel, Department of the Somme, France.


And his name is written in letters of gold on the scroll whereon are inscribed the names of America's hero dead.


RUSSELL CLINT BENNETT


Russell Clint Bennett was a victim of Spanish influenza, which slew its hundreds of thousands, thus adding to the horrors of war. His death occurred at Camp Grant, Rockford, Ill., on the 7th of October, 1918, after he had been in the service little more than a month and before he had an opportunity to go overseas.


Bennett was a son of Jacob F. and Emma Bennett, who live between Herrick and Cowden, and was born October 14, 1895. The place of his birth was Edgar county, Illinois, though he had lived in Shelby county for a number of years and was engaged in farming. On the 5th of September, 1918, he enlisted at LaSalle, Ill., and was assigned to Company 2, 161 Depot Brigade, at Camp Grant. On the 14th of June, 1918, he married Miss Pearl Neva Cherry, a daughter of James H. and Clara Cherry of Herrick, Shelby county. His wife and mother visited him in the hospital at Camp Grant, and left him improved in health. His apparent improvement was a false condition, however, for shortly he suffered a relapse and died.


The body of Mr. Bennett was conveyed to Herrick, Ill., for burial in the family lot in the cemetery there. It was accompanied from Camp Grant by his father, who went to the encampment for that purpose.


Lester Bennett, a brother of the deceased soldier, was in camp at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indianapolis, Ind., at the time of Russell's death.


While craving justice for ourselves, it is never wise to be unjust to others. To deny valor in the enemy we have conquered, is to underrate our victory; and if the enemy be strong enough to hold us at bay, much more to conquer us, *


* self-respect bids us seek some other explanation of our misfortunes than accusing him of qualities inferior to our own,


-Lew Wallace.


CLARENCE MONROE BIXLER


Clarence M. Bixler, a son of George and Anna Bixlet of Findlay, was the eleventh Shelby county soldier to give his life for his country during the World War. He died of wounds received in battle, according to the mes- sage received by his parents from the War Department at Washington. The date of his death was July 26, 1918, and his body rests in one of the numberless graves "in Flanders field."


Bìxler was born in Rose township, near Shelbyville, August 3, 1894, and was reared as a farmer. He was one of the first registrants in the county, and on Sep- tember 19, 1917, was inducted by the Local Board and with sixty-three other men was sent to Camp Taylor, Ky. On the 16th of the following November, with sev- eral other boys from Shelby county, he was transferred to Camp Pike, Little Rock, Ark. Early in 1918 he and his associates were sent to Camp Green, and about April 1 embarked on the ill-fated Moldavia, which fell a victim to the Hun campaign of submarine frightfulness and in going down took two of the Shelby county boys with her. These were Jesse Mars and Henry C. Lading.


That Bixler was soon at the front and under fire is indicated by the fact that only about three months after landing in France he suffered the fatal wounds.


Bixler was survived by his parents, two brothers and three sisters. One of the brothers was then subject to the call to service, but was not called. This was Frank Bixler. The other was Fred Bixler, an older hrother. The sisters are Mrs. Sarah Tinnea and the Misses Car- oline and Bertha Bixler, all residing at Findlay.


The triumphs of truth are the most glorious, chiefly because they are most bloodless of all victories, deriving their highest lustre from the number saved, not of the slaìn.


-Colton.


WILBER BROUGHTON


Death came to Wilber Broughton, a valiant and pa- triotic son of Shelhy county, on the battlefield in France, where he was serving as a messenger and scout in the United States army. On the night of July 19, 1918, he was wounded, and removed to a hospital at Oise, France. Six days later, or on July 25, he died from the effects of the machine gun bullet. He met death as he had met the eneiny, bravely.


Wilher Broughton was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Broughton of Stewardson. He was born at Rose Hill, Ill., March 26, 1899, and at the time of his death was nineteen years old. At an early stage of the World War he enlisted in the United States army at Danville, and was sent to Texas for training. After nine months there he was transferred to Syracuse, N. Y., where he remained for four months before being sent to France, where he served with the 23d Inf., M. G. Co.


Young Broughton was a splendid young man, brave and intrepid, and gave splendid service hefore cut down by the weapons of the enemy in the foreign field. His family and friends, the latter of whom were many, sin- cerely mourned his untimely death.


Exact justice is commonly more merciful in the long run than pity, for it tends to foster in men those stronger qualities which make them good citizens. -Lowell.


Justice, sir, is the great interest of man on earth. It is the ligament which holds civilized beings and civilized nations together. Wherever her temple stands, and so long as it is duly honored, there is a foundation for gen- eral security, general happiness, and the improvement and progress of our race.


-Daniel Webster.


HERMAN T. BRUNS


Cheered by a letter from his wounded son in which the latter stated he was "doing fine" and expected to start for home soon, only to be plunged into deepest grief by a letter from a chaplain, telling of the death of the boy the day after he had written the cheery letter, was the experience of Theodore Bruns of Pana, whose son, Her- man T. Bruns, was a selective service man of Shelby county and left Shelbyville February 23, 1918, with a contingent of fifty-four men for Camp Taylor, Ky.


After four weeks at Camp Taylor Bruns was trans- ferred to Camp Sevier, S. C. May 10 he sailed for France, where he fought, bled and died for human freedomn.


Bruns landed in France on the 25th day of May, and on the 11th of the following July spent his first night in the trenches. From that time on he was under fire al- most continuously, and on the 6th of August he was stricken by the full force of Hun frightfulness and sus- tained wounds which later caused his death. While cleaning his gun in front of a dugout, he was struck by fraginents of a high explosive shell. Six of his comrades were killed outright. Ile himself lost an arm and a leg and two fingers on his right hand, and sustained a fright- ful wound in the jaw, also a very severe wound on his left shoulder. On November 20 Chaplain Moulton wrote the cheerful letter to his father. The next day the boy died.


Mr. Bruns was born July 2, 1895. He was 23 years, 4 months and 20 days old at his death. Before his call to the colors he was in the employ of his brother, Wil- liam Bruns, on a farm near Tower Hill, and was regis- tered in Shelhy county. lle is survived by his father, the brother, William Bruns, another brother, John Bruns of Griggsville, and one sister, Mrs. Minnie Ade of Pana. His mother died Dec. 16, 1916. In his infancy he was baptized in the German Lutheran church at Pana.


Bruns was given Christian hurial in France following his death, Chaplain Moulton, who notified his father of his death, saying the last rites over his body as it was committed to a grave back of the lines, in Boulogne, France.




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