I realised at once that it
was hopeless, for it took four bandages to stop the
spurting. One of our fellows ran off for the
stretcher-bearers. One of these came back, but he could not
stop the flow of blood at all, and the corporal said, 'No
good: it will all be over in a minute.' I could not believe
it at all--it did not seem possible to me that George with
whom I had spent every hour, every day in close
companionship for so many months past, was dying.
"The party went on and I was left alone, but I risked all
chances of court martial and stayed with my wounded friend.
I couldn't leave him until I was absolutely certain that he
was past all aid. He did not last very many minutes, and I
knelt there with my arm round his shoulders, hoping against
hope that something could be done. He was called to pay the
supreme sacrifice of all. And with just one gasp he died.
"I was in a terrible condition. My clothes were soaked in
blood, my hands all red, my mind numbed. Nothing could be
done, so I went and joined my company, but first made
application to the sergeant-major that I might help to bury
my chum. This was granted, and as three other men were
killed that evening, a party of us were detailed to make
graves for them. I can see now those four graves in a
square, railed off by barbed wire, on the cross-roads
between St.
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