Loyola University Maryland - Evergreen / Green and Gray Yearbook (Baltimore, MD)

Page 30 text:

much. 1 talked to him at six o ' clock last evening, little thinking that it Avonld he the last time that I would see him. His only thought then was his concern lor the safety of his men, hut he had the usual cheer- fulness about himself. Joe was a brave hoy and as clean cut a ty])e of American manhood as ever existed. He was a clean, true Cdiristian to the end and never neglected his religious duties. He went to confession at every oi)])or- tunity and never forgot his prayers to the Almighty who has seen lit to take him from us. Joe was killed in action by a shell, with three of his men. At the present time censorshij) forbids me from giving you the details. In the future I hoj)e to be able to give you the location, etc. The Major is sending Joe’s body to the interior where he will be buried on a hill overlooking one of the most beautiful valleys of France. He will be buried by a detachment of our regiment with full military honors —a fdting tribute to a brave lad, well liked by his men and brother otlicers. From Lieutenant Horace E. Hatt. I know what sorrow is yours at the present time in the loss of your son, Lieutenant Hanlon, and while the words of a comi)lete stranger to you may not express much, I nevertheless cannot allow the opportunity to be missed of exi)ressing to you the sentiment of every man and otiicer of this Regiment. Lieutenant Hanlon was not only a most etlicient otiicer, but was the admired and respected friend of every soldier who met him. We all admired him, not only for his courage, but because he was a clean, moral, and upright man. He died as a true soldier, endeavoring in every way to encourage his men and yet to shelter them as much as l)ossible. His examj)le and si)lcndid conduct will ever be an inspiration to us all, and he will rest as a rich jewel in our heart’s treasury. Lieutenant Hanlon died fighting for the ])rinci])les in which he believed and exenpilitied in his daily conduct and actions. It is true that you arc grief-stricken, but amid your sorrow your hearts should swell with pride at the thought that when your son’s soul was laid bare it was white and magnificent, and that his life and death arc and will be an inspiration to all who knew him. From the Serejeant of Lieutenant Hanlons Compamj, F. A Smith, to his father. Dear Jud 1 his is a letter of bad tidings which you ]:)robably will have heard before you get this. Lieutenant Hanlon was killed last night by a (lerman H. L. shell. 1 he men of his comjianv feel his loss 28

Page 29 text:

the oliicers of the 30th, so it hits us all pretty hard, espeeially since Joe was everyhody’s friend, and eycryhody knew he was all man. From Caplaiii (Charles Parkinson Wood. Haying just returned from France on a s])ccial trip, and thinking constantly about the sadness which came oyer all “The 3()th” the night before I started, I want you to know that I am here and that I should like to take adyantage of the first oiiportunity to see you. Am going to Hoston tonight hut shall be here again in a few days. I trust that you feel how eyery one in our regiment shares your loss. A good friend to all, to some of us a brother; we wish only that what we ourselyes feet so keenly could be a comfort to you. From Lieutenant Front .Jiidson, .Jr. The news about Joe has just come to us on another jiart of the front, and today an otticial notice of his funeral with military honors has arriyed from our regimental headquarters. You remember he was with Company A for a long time. That is my company, too. We both started from the States together. Oh, Mr. Hanlon, I can’t think of that boy without tears in my eyes. We all loyed and resjiccted him, and he was always so cheerful and good-natured, and at the same time a cajiable, keen otticcr. His loss is a terrible blow to us and I can assure you that this jilatoon of Coni- ])any A tliat he led for a time, will neyer forget him. They know him for the man he was and they will be thinking of him the next time we get at the Hoche. God knows I’d do alt in my power to bring him back to you. Joe gaye his life for his country. May he be with you now. I ' rom IJeiitenant I3en I erris. May I, in behalf of this Company, tender you the jrrofoimd sym- pathy which we feel in the loss of your son. Lieutenant Hanlon. We had all learned to res])ect his abilities in the field, hut our regret in his loss is greater in that we had come to regard him as a friend and as such we mourn his loss. In respect to his memory and to assuage your grief, if only the slightest, his remains were carried hack to the regimental headcfuarters and there giycn a soldier’s burial near friends who will still watch oyer him. I ' rom IJeiitenant Thomas II. Beddalt. As one ot Joe’s many friends, I am writing you to exj)rcss our deej) syinj)athy tor his loss to you and your tainily. e shall miss him yery 27

Page 31 text:

more than Avould that of any otlicr man in the whole army, for he was admired and respected by everybody. I liaven’t gotten the full details yet, but as soon as i)ossihle I will, and I’m going to try to write Mr. Hanlon a letter, which I will enclose with this one and get you to address and send to him as I haven’t got his address. I don’t know much about writing such a letter, but I hope it will help to make him as happy and as ])roud of the Lieutenant as he should be. {From the same.) Your son. Lieutenant Hanlon, was killed in action four nights ago by the bursting of a German high explosive shell. He was with his men on a working party and was crossing a field that the enemy artil- lery was tiring on quite heavil3 He lived only a short while after the shell hurst, and was in no pain. Yhile he was still conscious, he asked whether anyone else was hurt. He died just after he was carried into the dressing station. Together with one of the men of his platoon who had helped carry him to the dressing station, I had the privilege of escorting the body to our regimental headquarters, where Captain Carlock arranged for the funeral. He secured a zinc-lined casket and had the body embalmed. Major Dougherty, a Catholic chaplain, who, I understand, has already written you, conducted the services. The whole post was turned out, and he was buried with full military honors. Over the grave was erected a cross made by one of the men in the Gomi)any. The burial took place in the American Cemetery at General Headquarters, A. E. F. 1 want to try to tell you how we men of the Company loved and admired the Lieutenant, and what an inspiration he was to us. The feeling throughout the Company is that we have lost our best officer and best friend. He was really and truly the sort of officer you read about; brave, fearless, dashing, and has done much to uphold the morale of the men by his cheerfulness and by his si)lendid exanq)le. You can indeed be proud of him, and 3 )11 must know that every man in Compaii}’ B, of the 30 th Engineers SAunpathizes with 3 )11 in 3 0111 ' loss. Extraets from letters from the American Red Eross. In such a grief as that which has come to 3 ou in the loss of Lieu- tenant Hanlon, we feel that it would be an intrusion to trv to offer comfort, but we know that j)ride will be mingled with 3 )111 ' sorrow as you read these eloquent testimonials which have been sent to us by our Red Cross rei)resentatives abroad. So maim of his comrades have welcomed this oiiportunity to jiay high tribute to your son, that it seems as if each individual testimonial were a little flower of love woven into his memorial wreath. 29