THE YPRES TIMES
At zero hour a bleak and Arctic wind was
blowing, and it was clear that the fight would
be grim, tor all four wore the League tie
Feathers led off and Kerr drove against him
Tiss. played a good second, but Carr only
bumped it on to the green somehow, and further
distinguished himself by failing to negotiate
a half-stymie, and knocking the other ball in
insteadto lose the hole.
The second was won by The Staff, who got
a startling 2 at the third, and won that too.
There followed a half and win for Kerr and
Tiss., who enlisted the elements to hole out for
them at the 6th, the wind blowing the ball in
from the lip of the hole.
A half, a win and another half, left them 2 up
at the turn.
Some very undistinguished play followed,
resulting in 2 halves, a scrambling win for The
Staff, and a complete present by Carr of a half
to the enemy at the 13th, their last stroke
hole they immediately showed their apprecia
tion by winning the 14th in a birdie to be 2 up.
Then The Staff did things and got the next
two back. All square.
At the 17th, Feathers got a half by a magnifi
cent bunker shot and holing a good putt. Still
all square.
Both tee shots went down the middle at the
18th Kerr was bunkered with his next, just
short of the green. Feathers was not. Both on
in 3, Kerr putted wide Feathers just failed to
hole the puttand laid the enemy a blank
stymie
Tiss. could not negotiate it, so The Staff won,
1 up.
The 19th was played in the usual way.
So ended The Bombardier's Foursomes for
1932, after many good and cheery battles.
In the afternoon a party of fifty strong, under
command of Bombardier Burden, attended the
Armistice Day service.
The Secretary.
KENYA AND MADRID BRANCHES.
Reports have been received, delayed by
Christmas post, which will be printed in full in
our next issue.
NEW YORK BRANCH.
Obituary.
We regret to record the passing of two very
distinguished and well-known personalities of
the Great War, especially endeared to the
American Expeditionary Force, in the names of
Father Francis P. Duffy (Senior Chaplain of the
165th U.S. Infantry, 42nd Division), and Captain
Robert W. Hanna (British Liaison Officer to the
27th American Division in France and Flanders).
FATHER DUFFY, as he was affection
ately known, had been referred to as the ideal
army chaplain and the ideal parish priest," and
in view of his wonderful record this pronounce
ment is easily understood. Although never a
man of robust constitution, he incurred the
reputation as an iron man," and his heroic
actions under shell-fire in the Great War were
recognized by the United States, France and
other governments for which he received the
Distinguished Service Cross, the Distinguished
Service Medal, the Cross of the Legion of
Honour, and the Croix de Guerre with palm.
On July 28th, 1918, his regiment crossed the
Ourcq and penetrated the German defences to
the north, suffering heavy casualties, Father
Duffy, spending the whole day on the battlefield,
continued to bear wounded men to shelter under
heavy machine-gun fire, cheering them by word
and example and thrilling them by his total
disregard of danger. The incidents of this par
ticular day earned him a citation for the
Distinguished Service Cross, but it might have
been any day when with his regiment in action.
Those fortunate enough to know him in those
dark days will for ever remember him for his
tenderness and solicitude for the wounded under
deadly shell-fire. Apart from military life,
which included chaplain in the Spanish-American
War, this self-sacrificing officer appears to have
been as much beloved by his humble parishioners
in New York, where Protestant and Jew and
those of no faith at all loved him for his en
couragement and advice. He was, indeed, a
gift to mankind, and his end was typical of the
life he led, a simple unassuming parish priest,
clasping the crucifix and rosary beads given him
as a lad by his mother and which he treasured
above all else.
CAPTAIN ROBERT W. (MARK) HANNA, the
only honorary member of Post 27, Divisional
Headquarters, 27th American Division Associa
tion of the world war, whose sudden death in
London recently came as a shock to his many
American friends, was a British officer appointed
for his particular abilities as Liaison Officer to
the 27th American Division when this division
was operating with the British Second and
Fourth Armies. This young officer was very
highly esteemed by the American High Com
mand, and no more fitting gesture could be
shown than by the special cable forwarded to
Captain R. Henderson-Bland (Ypres League
Representative in America) now on a visit to
this country, asking him to represent the 27th
Division at the funeral, to which Captain Bland
sympathetically complied. Captain Hanna, for
his services in the aforementioned post, was
awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross of the
State of New York, and General J. F. O'Ryan,
when recommending him for the honour, referred
to his exceptionally meritorious services as
Liaison Officer from June 1st to November,
1918. His timely hints and suggestions being
of special value during the operations of the
division while with the British Second Army in
the vicinity of Mt. Kemmel, and with the British
Fourth Army at Le Catelet and Le Cateau.
An officer possessed of keen perception, energy,
tact and great cheerfulness, his loss will be
mourned by comrades on both sides of the
Atlantic.
