Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-17
TALES OF BRAVERY
BY ALLIES WILL Be
PRECIOUS HERITAGE
uo,,nded Private Tells of
Queens Bays Daring in
Meeting German Attack.
Engineers Sacrificed at
Bridge.
By A. j. RoRKE

.,,vpu france, Sept t7-It Is prob
:. chat the details of the wonderful and
LAG endurance of the troops of the
m.., forces in the present campaign will
~. he properly written, but they will
..m.,n in the hearts of the French and
N, bs handed down from father to son
vu,ages and towns around which
=" ,or are battling for the freedom of
Europe.
Most Of the regiments will be able to
..,hroider into their colors the names of
.,rv historic fights, but hardly any Will
=. .h,e TO hand down such stories as the
second Dragoon Guards and the Queens
nav, will transmit to their future re-
eruts.
r,srs is the story that was told to me
a.. private Bryant as he lay wounded in
The hospital snip: w.,
/ 60. NOT had time to think of dates lately.
p,, II was Just over week ago. We
p. .so somewhere in the neighborhood of
9, Quentin. We had been fighting all
Ssv We had pcketed and watered our
Soyses and late that night thought we
had seen the last Of the Germans for
time. ,- ,h. r,,oro,
.,rs orders to saddle. We jumped on
s"r horses, and at the same moment
wallis began to burst overhead Our
Sorsas stampeded. The enemy's sharp
heaters we're already in position. and
rh,le we we're recapturing our horses
,hranne canister shots and bullets were
making the air sing around us.
FIELD ARTILLERY is DELAYED.
.Tbe German artillery fire increased in
Intensity. We began to wait anxiously
tor our own Royal Field Artillery to get
,r,o nosition. 1t was delayed by the fact
hat the battery horses were being wa
tered.
something had to be done. so we got
the Maxims up. despite the whitening
Are Our boys soon got busy. 1t would
have done you good to see how calmly
and quietly they went about their work.
"our men realized the meaning of their
iob II was to hold on until the artillery
rame up. In other words. it was to save
the regiment from annihilation. Within
few minutes they were sending some
800 shots in so many seconds among the
Germans.
Then the artillery arrived. We had
four guns against II for the Germans,
but some Of those II were silenced.
ut was not long before the Bays were
. itching to charge. Almost before they
expected it the bugle sounded and they
we're off, he'll for leather at the enemys
guns.
"The net result Of that little scrap was
the capture Of II Krupp guns and many
prisoners"
Unfortunately. Bryant was left wounded
on the field and was made prisoner
BY the Germans. He lived for Ave days
on bread and water. all that the Germans
would supply him. On the fifth day
detachment OF French cavalry arrived,
rescued the prisoners and captured the
German troopers who were guarding
them.
The Britishers were taken to Peronne,
where they were cared for by the
French"
BRITISH BATTERY WIPED OUT.
Bryant told me that in the action of
st. Quentin of an entire British battery
engaged but II men were left alive
CASTOR Bossier. a private in the Sixth
curassiers. who is known in civil life
as Darino, a lyric artist at the Comedie
francase and favOrite of the Parish
ennes, tells the following story, which
seems almost an eclipse of the blowing
up Of the Delhi Gates.
8ossier. lying wounded in Normany,
with gestures, but falls back EroannG:
by shrapnel, tells the story In true GallIc
manner. He tries to rise and illustrate
With gestures, but falls back groaning.
We We're together, the Cuiraissiers of
France and the English Royal Engineers,
as We retreated across the Aisne at Sois-
sons The Germans advanced rapidly,
irving TO rush masses of soldiers across.
6tidge after bridge had to be blown
w. The German sharpshooters were
nnnE at us from a clump of trees and the
nualeuses were working havoc among
The allies.
Suddenly a party OF English engineers
'ushed toward the bridge. They lost
nesvily, but succeeded in landing powder
slmcient 10 destroy it. Before they could
nsnt all of them were killed. We waited
NhNe another party OF your brave engi-
fers crent near the bridge. They took
W cover hut the Germans got their range
ana continued a deadly fire.
ENGINEERS OFFER UP LIVES,
Then We Frenchmen watched what we
must remember to our dying day. One
'Asheer suddenly dashed at one of the
uses He was killed before half way
Dere' A second followed and fell almost
spoh the body of his comrade. A third,
m. Uustn and NTH ran in the gauntlet of
5srvAess German fire and met the same
Sits'"' In the same way each followed
''T, Tvo'hlades until II had been killed.
Inc German fire seemed to slacken
Ma, an ., instant and in that time the bridge
So,,n as p'own up, for the 18th man, dashing
a, Vss Si lhe space lined with the bodies
H,L Jug friends, reached the fuse and
su'ea So.u IT, The bridge exploded with
maI Oar as the engineer fell before the Ger
nSh rifle shots"
,or r'sser ss was prisoner of the Germans
Fn,,lohe ohe time, but was rescued by the
|Cssnlsn lie told me shocking details of
ir.nah Si,nh cruelties which he personally
/, 'tsssed' .ss He himself. although wounded
Wi,S Ies' was dragged on his knees
a Ians ms hands tied behind him while
bacS thrust his lance against his
en- =. orvers OF transport wagons often
H. 81 MN with their whips as he passed.
sbs,.1as was thrown into a cellar at Neuf-
bes1Sa land ana was almost starved when he
anssI, hshtlng on the streets and voices
.norNus English. He was Just strong
i T-bh 10 call "Au saccurst