Talk:Alexander R. Skinker

letter detailing death

Birth: Dec. 18, 1896 Alton Madison County Illinois, USA Death: Sep. 26, 1918, France

Member of Company I, 138th Regiment during WWI. He was killed in action, along with Capt. Alex R. Skinker, after volunteering to help clear a machine gun nest during the battle of Cheppy.

Source: Alton Evening Telegraph, November 7, 1918, Former Telegraph Employee Gives Life Defending His Flag. Word came to Mr. and Mrs. Gustave Walter of the North Side that their son, Maurice Walter, was killed in action in France, September 26. The message was the first tidings of the young soldier received in some time. It is not true in his case, as in some others, that any letter written by him dated subsequent to the date mentioned as that of his death has been received, so the family credit fully the official message telling that he had given up his life on the field of battle. Maurice Walter was one of the best beloved of any Telegraph employee among the men with whom he worked. He was an apprentice at the printer's trade. It was with the utmost regret the Telegraph force saw him leave, as his uniform good cheer and his willingness to be of service to others had made him a popular favorite among the employees. Maurice, when war broke out, could take little interest in his work or anything else. He felt that he must be helping in the war. Being under age, he did not immediately enlist, but gave up his work at the Telegraph to take a job where he felt he was directly doing war work. Then, having taken that one step, he concluded to take another by enlisting his service in the army. Last spring he was back home in Alton. He had been sick in camp in Oklahoma, where he was training. He had a head for mechanics and he was given some special rank as a repair man for rifles. In the Telegraph office he had shown a remarkable ability in handling machines of the most intricate kinds. It was this ability that caused him to be called upon to do repair work. He was shipped to France soon after he recovered from the illness in camp, and following his furlough at home. Those who knew Maurice Walter knew that he would be ready to make the sacrifice, whatever it might be, for his flag, as that was the controlling idea in his mind. There is genuine mourning among his family and among those who worked with him over the necessity that caused the loss of a bright, happy young life that had in it qualities which would have worked for the highest usefulness, had not it fallen to his lot to render it for his country's flag. Besides his parents he leaves two sisters and six brothers. He would have been 22 years old in December.

Source: Alton Evening Telegraph, December 26, 1918. Christmas Day brought a letter to Mr. and Mrs. Gustave Walter and family of the North Side, that gave them cause for being uplifted with pride on the first Christmas after Maurice Walter gave up his life fighting for his country's flag. The letter was written by Miss Bertha Skinker, a sister of Capt. Skinker of Co. I, 138th Regiment, and it gave the family the first real facts about the death and burial of Maurice on the field of battle. The letter recites a tale of heroic self-sacrifice and contempt for real danger on the part of Captain Skinker and Maurice Walter, which resulted in the saving of the company from murderous fire that was being poured on them from a machine gun nest. Maurice volunteered to go with his captain to clean up the machine gunners the enemy had posted there, and in making the attempt both lost their lives and both were buried in the same grave, as they found them lying side by side on the field. The family of the soldier have good reason for being proud and their pride is shared by the entire force of the Alton Telegraph, where Maurice Walter was employed for a long time before the war began. Every member of the force who worked with him in the Telegraph office felt certain that if he had a chance to do it, Maurice would do just what he did do. He was known as a boy who would do what seemed necessary, and ask no questions and do it without complaint. They are sure that he went to his last great task with a smile on his face and a cheery "I'll go," when calls were made for volunteers. The letter from Miss Skinker is as follows: "6464 Ellenwood Avenue, St. Louis, Mo. - If this note reaches the relatives of Maurice Walter of Co. I, 138th Regiment, it is meant for them. Otherwise, I have made a mistake (as it has been hard to trace Maurice Walter's address) and I am sorry for the intrusion. Though I never knew Maurice Walter, I shall always remember his name and I am anxious his family should understand how deeply I sympathize with them in their sorrow for his loss, and how proud of him they have a right to be. I do not know whether you have heard that he and my brother, Captain Skinker, were found lying near each other, after the battle of Cheppy, and were laid to rest in one grave. Evidently it was he who went forward with my brother (no doubt having volunteered for the post of danger) when it became necessary to break up a machine gun nest which was pouring a murderous fire into the shell hole in which a hundred and fifty men of I Company had taken refuge. They both fell, but they saved otheers, for the others rushed forward to avenge them and overpowered the enemy. My brother's last words were: 'My boys! My poor boys! What will become of my poor boys?' They were his last thoughts and, after all, his sacrifice and that of Maurice Walter's, were the cause of most of them being saved. That is a great deal for the families of both these heroies to be thankful for. If you are not already using a flag like the enclosed, I should be glad for you to use it as combined memorial to the two who were so closely united at the end, and have marched together through the pearly gates. These holidays are a sad time for some of us, but I hope you will find some comfort, as we do, in such uplifted pride. Very sincerely, (Miss) Bertha R. Skinker."

Source: Alton Evening Telegraph, September 3, 1921, Body of Young Soldier, Killed in Battle on Sept. 26, 1918, Is Returned From France. Funeral services for Maurice Walter, soldier killed in battle in France, will be conducted at the home of his father, G. A. Walter, 103 West Elm Street, at 2:30, Monday afternoon, by the Rev. E. L. Gibson, pastor of the First Presbyterian church. Interment will be in City Cemetery. The American Legion post will take part in the funeral and will furnish a firing squad and the pallbearers. Owing to the distance of the home from the cemetery, the firing squad will meet the cortege at the City cemetery. The body of Maurice Walter arrived in Alton last night. The body of Charles Maguire, another of Alton's heroes, has arrived at Hoboken, but up to this morning, word as to when the body will reach Alton had not been received by the family. Maurice Walter was killed in battle on September 26, 1918. He was killed at the time that Capt. Skinker of St. Louis met his death. The body of Capt. Skinker is now enroute to St. Louis. The St. Louis officer was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal for bravery. Capt. Skinker attacked a German machine gun nest. Capture of the nest meant a strategic triumph, and he asked for volunteers. Two men responded, one of whom was Maurice Walter, then a boy of 20 years. In the performance of this heroic duty, he met his death. As before related, the captain was posthumously honored. News of the heroic way in which the Alton boy went to his death was learned from the family of Captain Skinker, in St. Louis. Maurice was a member of Co. I, of the 138th. Members of his company, who reside in St. Louis, are expected to attend the funeral. The Alton Post of the American Legion will also participate. Charles Maguire was a son of Police Magistrate and Mrs. Patrick Maguire. He died a heroic death in the battle of the Argonne. He met death in the battle in which Edward Kniery, also of Alton, was killed. He will be buried with military honors when the body reaches Alton.

Source: Alton Evening Telegraph, September 6, 1921, Maurice Walter is Paid High Honor - Family of Captain Skinker Present. St. Louis vied with Alton Monday afternoon, in paying honor to the remains of Maurice Walter and to the memory of him, many members of the 138th Regiment being present from St. Louis to attend the funeral. Some of these had been members of Co. I, and had been pals of Maurice and two of these, D. R. Collier and R. L. Spohr, served as pallbearers. Both were in the battle at Chappy, France, on September 26, 1918, in which Maurice gave up his life, and both were sincere mourners and genuine admirers of the youth who went with his Captain that day, volunteering before others had a chance, after the Captain, Alexander Skinker, asked for volunteers to face what must have then appeared as almost certain death, the bare chance only of surviving being present. The Skinker family is one of the oldest, most prominent and wealthiest of the families of St. Louis County, and the following members of the family drove up from St. Louis to attend the obsequies of the young man whose memory they love, because he loved their son, husband and brother, and went with him to eternity: T. J. Skinker, father of Captain Skinker; Mrs. Alex Skinker, widow of the Captain, who came from Philadelphia, Pa. to attend the funeral and pay her respects; Miss Skinker, sister of deceased Captain; Thomas Skinker, a first cousin of the Captain; and Fred Niemeyer, Lieutenant of Co. I. Company I went into that battle full strength - about 200 men - and after the battle was won, only 18 of the members of the Company were left. The attendance of neighbors and friends at the home of the parents, Mr. and Mrs. Gus Walter, 103 Elm street, was very large, among them being many Legionnaires and some 25 or 30 relatives and friends of the family from St. Louis. At the cemetery, the attendance was much larger, the former soldiers gathering there in force. Many of the Legionnaires were in uniform, but many others wore civilian clothes because they have outgrown their uniforms. Services were conducted by the Rev. E. L. Gibson of the First Presbyterian church, and he preached a touching sermon, but one filled with comfort for the parents and brothers and sisters of the dead boy. He told of the love of Maurice for home, and how he did not haunt street corners or questionable society, like so many boys of his age do, and how he always wanted to help "Mother" do something about the home. He told of his loyalty and patriotism; how he volunteered for the war, and afterwards volunteered when his Captain needed volunteers - always faithful; always loyal; always cheerful; always fearless. Rev. Gibson also paid tribute to the loyalty and bravery of that captain who went to his death for the liberty and welfare of the world with the words "come on boys, let's stop them," instead of "go on boys and take them." He asked no soldier to go where he would not go with them, and in advance of them. The father and widow and sister of the deceased captain plainly appreciated the appreciation voiced by the pastor, of their own loved and lost one. The cortege was a very long one, some 80 automobiles being in line while others went to the cemetery by another route. The floral contributions were fine and lovely and numerous, among them being pieces from the 138th Regiment, Co. I, 138th Regiment; the Ladies Auxiliary of the 138th Regiment; all St. Louis; Alton Post American Legion; Alton Post Ladies Auxiliary of the American Legion, and numerous contributions by individuals. At the cemetery, Rev. E. L. Gibson conducted brief services, and then the Alton Post American Legion took charge. At the conclusion of ceremonies the firing squad discharged three volleys over the grave, and the bugler sounded taps, and Maurice Walter was lowered into his final resting place mourned sincerely and honored genuinely. The pall bearers were all former soldiers who saw service in Europe, the two first of the following being members of the same company with Maurice, and pals of his: D. R. Collier, R. L. Spohr (St. Louis), Elmer Campbell, J. M. Campbell, J. B. Lamm, and E. Lamm of Alton. The widow of Capt. Skinker [...] the Congressional medal of honor, voted her husband by the Congress of the United States.

Burial: Alton Cemetery Alton Madison County Illinois, USA Plot: Block 5 Lot 9

Created by: Matthew Shoe Record added: Oct 08, 2010 Find A Grave Memorial# 59760621 2600:6C42:7500:143E:F57D:63D6:75BD:717 (talk) 07:28, 4 January 2023 (UTC)