The British soldier : $b his courage and humourHardy, E. J. (Edward John)
History
The British soldier : $b his courage and humour
Hardy, E. J. (Edward John)
World War, 1914-1918
An Irish Fusilier regiment was in a dangerous position and a messenger
was wanted to bring to the men an order to retire. Who would go? Every
man offered himself, though they knew that they would have to cross an
open country raked with rifle fire. They tossed for the honour, and the
first man who started with the message had not gone more than 200 yards
when he was wounded, but he rushed on till a second bullet brought him
down. Another man took on the message and got only a little way when he
was hit. A third messenger almost reached the endangered regiment when
he was shot. Half-a-dozen men ran out to bring him in. They all were
hit; but the wounded messenger making a supreme effort, crawled to the
regiment and delivered the message.
Similar gallantry was shown when the Munster Fusiliers were surrounded
and a driver of the R.F.A. named Pledge, who was shut up with them,
was asked to "cut through" and get the assistance of the artillery.
Pledge mounted a horse and dashed through the German lines. His horse
fell and Pledge's legs were injured. Nothing daunted, he got his horse
on its feet, and again set off at a great pace. To get to the artillery
he had to pass down a narrow road, which was lined with German
riflemen. He did not stop, however, but rode through without being hit
by a single bullet. He conveyed the message to the artillery, which
tore off to the assistance of the Munsters, and saved the situation.
In view of the death of Prince Maurice of Battenberg, the story told by
Corporal J. Jolley, King's Royal Rifles, has special interest. After
the retreat from Mons the Germans were severely punished. On reaching a
height overlooking Chorley-sur-Marne, the King's Royal Rifles were the
advance guard. They noticed the Germans preparing to blow up a bridge,
but they got away on seeing the British. The latter were ordered to
take the bridge. Prince Maurice was the first man over, and searched a
house all by himself--a brave act for an officer alone. The British got
across the bridge.
A short time before he was shot the cap of the Prince was struck by a
bullet. The Prince made a joke of the occurrence and laughed.
Among those who fell at Cambrai was Captain Clutterbuck, of the King's
Own (Lancaster) Regiment. He was killed while leading a bayonet charge.
"Just like Clutterbuck," wrote a wounded sergeant, describing the
officer's valour, and adding, "Lieutenant Steele-Perkins also died one
of the grandest deaths a British officer could wish for. He was lifted
out of the trenches wounded four times, but protested and crawled back
again till he was mortally wounded."
A British officer was in one of the Antwerp forts when it was being
pounded by great shells. When its doom was sealed the officer ordered
the mixed garrison to save themselves. They succeeded in doing so, but
the officer, who stuck to the fort as a captain to his sinking ship,
was made a prisoner.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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