Today | News | Books | Recipes Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History BookOn the early morning of the 24th Lieut. Fardell was killed, and gas was used all day. Lieut. Featherstone got some handkerchiefs and soaked them with water and handed them around and we lost about 40 men that day. As night came on, I think it was about 2 a.m. on the 25th. Mr. Featherstone, who was then taking his rest, came, and he looked very upset, and said to me: 'Poor Mr. Rottman is killed.' I said: 'I am very sorry to hear that,' and went and had a look at him. I came back and he was still standing, and I and Sergt. Lower said: 'Why don't you go and finish your rest, we will come and let you know if anything is wrong.' So he went, but he did not stop long as it was getting on time to stand to arms, so we stood, and when it was light they sent shells in front of our trench and smashed the barbed wire, therefore we knew that they were going to attack, and while we were getting ready a shell struck the parapet, and me and Mr. Featherstone had the sandbags over us. We got out of that and laughed at one another. As it went on the parapets were being blown to bits, so an order came to get the men to the right and at some parts we had to crawl. Sergt. Lower led the way and Mr. Featherstone and I saw every man safe. It was while we were crawling past a gap in the parapet a piece of shell struck me, I did not stop, but he saw I was hit and said: 'Are you all right? I said: 'Yes, come on.' We got past the gap and he said: 'Where are you hit?' I thought it was my arm and dropped my rifle. He picked it up and said: 'We must get out of this,' and we went on a bit and found we were in the Northumberlands and stayed there, and then the enemy were in our trenches. I had had my shoulder dressed and the order to spread out came. I then saw Mr Featherstone had lost his hat and getting close up to him I said, 'the supports are driving them out so they were all shouting hurrah.' Mr. Featherstone was then firing out of my rifle and I gave him another clip. I then saw him go up a little way further and fall. He was struck by a bullet and we sent for the stretcher bearers. He was then dead." The Adjutant of his Battn. wrote to his father: "Like all our young officers he carried out his duty to the end and by his example the men remained steadfast and the trenches were held in spite of poisonous gases and rifle and shell fire. We have been so fortunate in having such good officers that the battn. has earned special praise from all, and General French thanked us yesterday for the work of 25 April, during which your son fell"; and a subaltern: "2nd Lieut. Featherstone was killed during the German attack on 25 April under circumstances which proved him a very brave officer. The enemy having got all round us our men were firing in all directions, generally at no particular object as often happens in times of excitement. It was in trying to stop the men wasting their munitions that Lieut. Featherstone was twice wounded. He still continued, however, to calm his men till he was shot in the heart by a stray bullet." While at Holmwood School, Lieut. Featherstone was a sapper and shot in the School XI, winning the Sheffield Trophy on outdoor competition, at 200 and 500 yards with the service rifle; he also shot in the team for the Holman Cup, an indoor competition at 20 yards. At Dover College he was in the 1st Football XI, as well as playing cricket; and shot for his school at Bisley in 1913 in the Cadet pairs, likewise in the Team of the Ashburton Shield in 1914. Lieut. Featherstone was promoted Lieut. subsequent to his death. [Illustration: =Cecil F. Featherstone.=] =FEE, SAMUEL=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 7543), S.S. 102801, H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914; _m._ =FEE, SAMUEL=, Corpl., No. 12808, 10th (Service) Battn. Highland L.I., 3rd _s._ of Robert Fee, of 33, Muslin Street, Bridgeton, Glasgow, Slater's Labourer, by his wife, Lily, dau. of (--) Arnell; _b._ Bridgeton, Glasgow, 19 June, 1892; educ. Hozier Street Public School there; was a Miner, Old Farm Colliery, Rutherglen; enlisted 17 Aug. 1914; went to France in May, 1915, and was killed in front of the parapet during the advance at Loos, 25 Sept. 1915; _unm._ The Coy. Sergt.-Major wrote that "he was a good soldier and N.C.O." =FEE, WILLIAM JOHN=, Bugler. R.M.A., 11537, H.M.S. Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914. =FEENEY, THOMAS=, Leading Signaller, 220726, H.M.S. Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914. =FEGAN, WILLIAM PATRICK=, Sergt., No. 26519, 14th Battn. (Royal Montreal), Canadian Expeditionary Force, yst. _s._ of Francis Fegan, of Waggarandall, near Melbourne, Australia, Landowner, by his wife, Mary, dau. of (--) Homer; _b._ Major Plains, Melbourne, 29 Jan. 1877, and was educ. at Dookie College, near Melbourne. He was surveying in South Africa when the Boer War began; he immediately joined the Victorians, and served through that campaign, 1899-1902, being wounded twice and receiving the Queen's and King's medals. He then became an expert for the International Co., of Buenos Ayres, and went round the world eight times for them, and after some seven years at Buenos Ayres went to Canada where he was in Aug. 1914, when the European War was declared. He at once volunteered; enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force; came over with the first contingent in Oct. 1914; went to France Feb. 1915, and was killed in action near Wulverghem, 27 Nov. 1915. His company officer, Capt. Whitehead, wrote: "Your husband was one of the finest men I ever met, and one of my most reliable N.C.O.'s, and his loss will be felt very heavily: he was killed almost instantly, the bullet entering the base of the neck, and passing through the body"; and Lieut. Gordon Leighton: "I can bear a few words of testimony of his courage and worth, having been associated with him since his arrival in France. He was a brave and soldierly man. He had been through some very trying times with us, but never lost his coolness and courage in the face of the gravest danger and difficult situations. Moreover he had voluntarily undertaken work he knew was of a dangerous character. I personally, and I think all the officers of the company, regret exceedingly the loss of Sergt. Fegan, as we feel we have lost a man who was far above the average and whose soldierly worth was invaluable." He _m._ at St. Brigid's Roman Catholic Church, Fitzroy, Melbourne, 10 June, 1911, Kathleen, sister of Private Arthur Moore, 5th Battn. Australian Imperial Force, who died of wounds received in action at the Dardanelles, 29 Feb. 1916 (see his notice), and dau. of Henry Albert Moore, of Park House, Whatley, near Frome, Somerset, and had two children: William Ernest Patrick, _b._ 10 Jan. 1913; and Kathleen Joan Florence, _b._ 5 Oct. 1915. [Illustration: =William Patrick Fegan.=] =FEILDEN, GRANVILLE JOHN HENRY=, 2nd Lieut., 2nd Battn. Seaforth Highlanders, only _s._ of Major Granville Cholmondeley Feilden, D.S.O., l |