r saw or heard of them
again.

[Illustration: Lewis Machine Gun Squad Observing with Periscope at
Hill 60]

During the next hour or two I managed to work around through the
wreckage of this part of our line, searching for wounded and making a
list of the dead. I found none of the former, all having been removed
by their companions when they were ordered to evacuate, but I did find
a number of bodies which I examined for identification disks or other
marks and made a complete record which I afterward turned in to our
Headquarters. This is a custom that is always followed, if possible,
so that, in the event that your own troops do not return to that spot,
a record will be preserved and relatives notified. If this were not
done, many would be reported as "missing" which is, to relatives, far
more terrible than the knowledge that death has been swift and sure.
This is work in which many chaplains have especially distinguished
themselves, often working close behind the advancing lines during a
battle; writing last messages for the dying and compiling lists of the
dead who may or may not be buried at a later date.

In burying dead on the field, every effort is made so to mark the
grave that it may afterward be identified and a proper record obtained
for the archives of the Graves Registration Commission. The best way
is to write all the data, name, regiment and number together with the
date, on a piece of paper, place it in a bottle and stick the bottle,
neck down, in the top of the grave. If no bottle is available, the
next best way is to write the record on a smooth piece of wood with
an ordinary lead pencil which will withstand the action of water far
better than ink or indelible pencil.

Here I had my last talk with Bouchard. He was very anxious to go to
college and take an engineering course. I suggested Purdue, but he
thought he would find it necessary to spend a year or two at some
preparatory school. He had heard me speak of Culver and was very much
interested in that place, and when I left it was definitely decided
that, should he survive the war, he would spend at least four years at
any educational institution I might recommend.

As soon as darkness came our infantry returned, and by working hard
all night managed to restore the damaged part of the parapet. I went
back to my dug-out for a little sleep and had just made myself
comfortable when a six-inch shell struck the place and drove me out,
together with