Such a fine looking boy. [WWI]

>In October 1914 Cyril Helm of 2/King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry was near Festubert when: >>A young gunner Subaltern was on his way up to observe a machine-gun position. Just as he got outside my door a shrapnel shell burst full in front of him. The poor fellow was brought in to me absolutely riddled. He lay in my arms until he died, shrieking in his agony and said he hoped I would excuse him for making such a nose as he really could not help it. Pitiful as nothing could be done for him except an injection of morphia. I will always remember that incident, particularly as he was such a fine looking boy, not more than nineteen. >Higher-bursting shrapnel was more capricious. The Reverend Julian Bickersteth heard that his brother Ralph, a lieutenant in the Leeds Pals, had: >>looked round to see if there was any support from the trenches behind and at that moment a shrapnel bullet struck him in the back of the head; a second later another bullet passed through his head, coming out through his forehead. He just rolled over without a word or sound, and Bateman was able to see that he was quite dead, killed instantly. ________________________________ **Source:** Holmes, Richard. "Steel and Fire." *Tommy: The British Soldier on the Western Front, 1914-1918*. London: HarperCollins, 2004. 400. Print. **Original Source(s) Listed:** Helm Papers, private collection. Bickersteth (ed.) *Bickersteth Diaries* p. 100. _________________________________ **Further Reading:** [King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King%27s_Own_Yorkshire_Light_Infantry) [Battle of Festubert](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Festubert) [Kenneth Julian Faithfull Bickersteth, MC, QHC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Bickersteth) [Leeds Pals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leeds_Pals)