270 sportsmen Parsons in Peace and War 



All who ever met him, from staff officers to privates, liked him 

 as a friend, and all regarded him as a man of God. 



It is rather difficult to write of the work of the priests and 

 clergy of all denominations ; it is not for the eyes of the world. 



A colleague in the same division with Father Bergin gives an 

 account of his last days in this life. He and his unit had been 

 having a few days' rest behind the lines, and the Sunday before 

 returning to the front line again he held a service in the little 

 local church and had a fine parade of his boys. Within a few 

 days a Requiem was sung in the same church for Father Bergin. 

 He had moved up with his Brigade to an advanced post on 

 October 10th in order to attend to the wounded. On the 

 evening of the big attack made by the gallant Australians on 

 October 12th he was standing at the entrance to the Aid Post— 

 an old German " pill-box " of spacious size and great strength. 

 The shelling was violent, but the danger was not very close at 

 hand. In fact, he was actually watching some men who were 

 hard pressed at some little distance, and standing with him was 

 the first staff-captain and the signal officer of the Brigade. 

 Suddenly a heavy shell burst a few yards off, killing Father 

 Bergin instantly, also the signal officer, Lieut. Darke. The 

 staff officer escaped with a severe shock. 



In a little quiet corner of the cemetery at Renninghelst rests 

 the remains of Father Bergin amongst the British and French 

 who have fallen since the days of 1914. 



