The post of honour : $b stories of daring deeds done by men of the British Empire in the Great WarWilson, Richard
History
The post of honour : $b stories of daring deeds done by men of the British Empire in the Great War
Wilson, Richard
World War, 1914-1918 -- Anecdotes
Then he received a fatal wound. “Prop me up,” he said to one of his
men, and they supported him against the wall of a trench. There he sat,
bleeding to death; but his voice was heard loud and clear to the last,
urging and cheering on his men, that they might play their part as he
himself had done.
Then there was Lieutenant Cather of the Royal Irish Fusiliers, who
seemed to covet honour as some men wish for gold. After a severe fight
he searched the wide space between the front lines of trenches which
was known as “No Man’s Land,” looking for wounded men. All the time the
space was swept by the guns of the enemy and at each step he risked his
own life.
But on he went, searching, and listening for the groans of the wounded.
He found three men and brought them in, one after the other. Then he
gave up the task for it was midnight and even he needed rest. But at
eight o’clock the next morning he was at work again.
He brought in yet another man who had spent the night in the open,
wounded and lonely; and he carried water to others though the ground
was again swept by the enemy’s terrible fire. At half-past ten that
morning he went out yet again to carry water to a wounded man, and this
time he was killed.
“Greater love hath no man than this; that a man lay down his life for
his friends.”
Second-Lieutenant Bell of a Yorkshire regiment found that a certain
machine-gun troubled his company greatly during an attack. So he crept
up a trench with two other daring men, rushed across the open under
heavy fire, and made for the machine-gun. The gunner was shot and the
three men then threw bombs at the gun until it was completely wrecked.
A little later Bell met his death in the course of duty, and laid down
his arms like a “very gallant gentleman.”
Sergeant-Major Carter of the Royal Sussex was eager to be in the post
of honour. With a few men as keen as himself he worked his way to the
enemy’s second line of trenches. The men were all forced back to the
first line, but on the way they captured and destroyed a machine-gun
which was worrying their comrades. Then Carter looked about for more
work and was soon busily engaged in carrying wounded men to places
of safety. As he was performing this work of mercy he was mortally
wounded and died in a few minutes.
Corporal Sanders of a West Yorks regiment was another eager spirit who
was cut off with a company of thirty men from the rest of the regiment.
He quickly placed his men so that they could defend themselves. Then he
made up a bombing party and urged his little band to hold out at all
costs and not to give themselves up as prisoners.
The men remained in their position during the whole of the next night,
and on the following morning they were attacked by the enemy. The
Germans made two bombing attacks in strength, but both were beaten off.
Sanders’ men held out all that day, and were not relieved until they
had stood their ground for no less than thirty-six hours.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account