Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-14
FEATs OF THE WOUNDED.
Wonderful Control Over Their Suffer-
inSs Shown on the battlefield.
From Tit-Bits.

fngs Shown on the battlefield.
From TitBits
During the present war 1t has been proved
in hundreds of Instances that the British
soldier of today possesses no less pluck and
endurance than distinguished him in years
gone by. Hence We have heard so much
about the heroism of the wounded on South
African battlefields, and how our valiant
soldiers have grimly continued lighting af-
ter having been shot or otherwise injured
by the foe.
Writing to his friends at home, one Tom
my describes the amazing exploit of an Of
ficer in one of the battles fought by Lord
Methuen. The officer was only a yard or so
away from him when he saw him shot
right through the back Despite this ter
rible injury, the wounded man rempunted
his horse, and. galloping toward the enc
my, he succeeded in killing three Beers.
Having thus had his revenge, he rode back
to his company and lay down until he could
be carried to the ambulance.
Hardly less gallant was the conduct of
one of the reservists, a London grocer, who
belonged to the mounted infantry. He had
the misfortune to have his leg shattered
and twisted by a shell, but he induced one
of his comrades to pull the damaged limb
straight again, and to turn him upon his
face. In this position he lay steadily firing
upon the Beers until his stock of ammuni.
ton was exhausted, which did not happen
until he had fired a couple of dozen shots.
In the meantime his sufferings must have
been terrible. but he bore them with the
greatest forttude.
Marvellous bravery was displayed by the
marines at the battle of GraSpan. While
he was sounding the Charge ID bugier
had one of his thumbs shot right off but
he merely shouted. There she goes. boys"
and proceeded with his bugling as If
nothing had happened.
In one of the armored train disasters
wounded volunteer behaved in a very
plucky manner, Notwtthst anding that his
right ear had been shot away. he continued
kneeling in the regulation position and fir
ing with admirable GOODNESS and precision.
With every crack of his rifle he would
crack a joke, and this had the effect of
keeping his comrades in good spirits and
preventing them getting Hurried or excited
in their shooting.
On the same occasion corporal who
was desperately wounded and lying on his
back, could use his tongue If not his wea-
pons, against the enemy. He eXhorted mis-
comrades to give 'em beans" which they
did to the best of their ability only those
of the leaden variety.
A sergeant who was pinned to the ground
by derailed truck the edge of which rest
ed on his right hand, determined that he
would not thus be incanacitated for the
fray. While suffering considerable pain. he
dug his right hand out with his bayonet in
his left, and then proceeded To IRE one
hundred shots at the enemy.
A trooper OF the Border Mounted Rifles,
who had been hit no fewer than three times
by Boer bullets. was, much to his disgust
sent to the hospital Under his uuwelcome
detention there he chafed so much that he
gave his nurses no small amount of trouble.
One night he contrived to elude their Wig
ilance and escaped from the hospital, and
after he had borrowed a rifle and filed his
bandolier with ammunition obtained from
other patients, he sailed forth to rajoin his
regiment. The ardent soldier was. how
ever, overtaken before he had proceeded
far and e ha Sti an I,,r
fit for service, he had perforce to return 10
the hospital and remain there until proper
ly recovered.
Our men have borne their wounds ,yith
the utmost fortitude and cheerfulness. 4
private of the Leicester Regiment had an
exploding bullet through his arm, which
would necessitate amputation. On the way
to the hospital, however. he laughed and
joked, his only regret being that he would
not be able to have another chance of
fighting the Beers.
At Elandslaagte one of the Gordon High
landers pressed on to the attack attnr bein.
hit in the leg; and 1t was not until he had
been struck by three other bullets that he
sank to the ground. Then he took out his
pipe, and. pending the arrival of the am
bulance, sought comfort in smoke.
When examined at the hospital he was
found to have four bullets in one leg and
two in the other. Another ''leadea messen-
ger" had grazed his skin. cuCting a piece
clean out; while one had passed through
his helmet and no fewer than ten through
the folds of his kilt. Despite ali his wounds
the intrepid young soldier fully expected he
would soon be fit for the front again
gallant marine. serving with Lord Me
thuen's column, had one of his hands shot
OF and was the next moment hit in the
foot. Yet he would not give in until he
was struck by four bullets in the stomach
and thus completely disabled.
An officer of the Guards, though severely
wounded insisted on riding to the hospital
on his horse. in order that the attentions
of the bearer companies might be devoted
to the wounded of his men. There were
other instances of the same sen-sacrifice
on the part of both officers and rank and
file.
Tommy Atkins retains his sense of hui
NOR even under the most depressing cir
cumstances, as was shown by an incident
that occurred after the battle at Belmont
As he was being assisted to the hospital,
one OF the wounded WIS asked 10y sympa-
thizing soldier If he had any loot
Yes, In my crippled leg. grimiy repiied
the disabled warrior. as he lnlped forward
to the quarters for the wounded
Thousands of situations have been OBJ
tanned through the want columns of The
Star