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| | COOK WILLIAM WAALKES
Serial No. 2,033,445
2047 Godfrey Ave., Grand Rapids, Mich.
Cook Waalkes was inducted September 19, 1917, at Grand Rapids, Mich. At Camp Custer he attended and graduated from the Bakers’ School and prepared culinary dishes for the officers at their mess. Arriving overseas, he was returned to the Battery kitchen and went with us to the front, being one of the four attached to the rolling kitchen. He participated in all the danger of the position and on our return to Pont-a-Mousson he was again attached to the Officers’ mess. His heart still went out to Battery B and he proved it substantially by occasionally sneaking pies from the Officers’ mess and passing them along to our Battery.
One funny incident is told by one of the boys. When we were going into position at the front, being weary like the rest of us, he dozed on the back of the kitchen. He was aroused by someone shaking him. The first time he pays no attention. Then, on receiving another shake, he gets angry and says: “Get to hell out of here and stay out.” He then received a very firm shake and, looking up, sees Captain Cherrill, who had previously announced that if there was any swearing done around there he would do it. He says to Waalkes, in a sharp, reproving voice: “Be careful how you talk around here.”
Cooks work in shifts, long shifts, night and day. At Coetquidan they had to get up at one in the morning to prepare the breakfast, and at the front they practically got no sleep while we were fighting.
If the rank and file had the granting of D. S. C’s they would vote the decorations to cooks and mess sergeants.
He was short and stockily built, and had the virtues of endurance, doing his work well and never was he sad-eyed or grouchy. |