Rev. W. Benton 229 



The doctor sent me a note saying what a magnificent fight for 

 hfe he made, as we knew he would, but that the septic poisoning 

 got the upper hand at last. ... I made him my second in 

 command (though really he was far more fitted to command 

 the battalion than I). He often spoke to me of you when we 

 were alone together, and he left me a note at last asking me to 

 write to you, as he cared for you so much. . . . Perhaps this 

 letter may make your grief even harder to bear, but I only 

 wished you to know that although I am a stranger I too share 

 your loss, and that his place in the battalion can never be 

 refilled. 



" If ever I can be of the least service to you I hope that you 

 will remember that I was his friend. 



" Yours sincerely, 



" Philip Magnay (Major), 



" Commanding 12th Manchester Regt." 



At the time these letters were written breaking the news to 

 his wife, much was still unexplained of how it all happened. 

 Sitting peacefully at home it is difficult to grasp all the confusion, 

 turmoil, and surroundings of a battlefield. I have seen something 

 of it and know that often, for some time, it is not possible to 

 gather up and connect the threads of the battle's happenings. 

 I have heard since that while gallantly rescuing a wounded man 

 who was trying to crawl back from No-Man's-Land, Captain 

 Benton was severely wounded while carrying the man on his 

 back. The enemy snipers had exactly got the range ; besides 

 wounding Captain Benton they shot the man on his back dead, 

 and the man at his side helping to support the rescued. Captain 

 Benton then crawled into a shell-hole with a wounded left arm 

 and right leg. There he remained unconscious for two daj^s. 

 When found he was brought into the dressing-station, being then 

 in a serious condition. Two operations were performed in hopes 

 of saving his leg, but it became necessary to amputate it, and 

 after this he died. He had previously been wounded three 

 times ; the fourth was fatal. 



There were many people who considered Captain Benton 



should not have undertaken combatant service, but remained a 



• chaplain. Whether it is right or not for clergy to fight is a much 



discussed question. There are strong points both for and 



