East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1914-11-18
RETREAT FROM MONS
IS MARKED BY DARING
ENGLISH ENGINEER RELATES
THRILLING INCIDENT AFTER
RATTLE
tBy p NJ. Sarl. United Press Staff
correspondent

II Correspondent)
LONDON, oct. 2S.-(By mail 10
New York. "A thrilling incident In
the wonderful retreat OF the British
from Mons. is described by sapper
Wells OF the Royal engineers, who
passes lightly over his own part in
an extraordinary act OF heroism.
"our officer asked for a man to 20
with him to blow up a bridge. so that
the Germans could not follow us, and
went with him." says Wells
We'll, TO blow bridge up we use
guncotton and wire fuse. II is safe
enough II you take your wire well
away, but this time It would not
work. Our men in running back had
stepped on the wire so we had to go
nearer to the bridge and try again
Even then 1t would not act so the Of
fieer said to me. Get out OF the way
Wells said No. I'll go with YOU
We were the only two on the bridge
and the Germans were shooting at
US, but our luck was in. Well we
both lay down and fired ten rounds
at the guncotton with my rifle, and
he did the same with a pistol, but II
wouldn't work. II 1t had We should
both have gone with II, so you see
what a shave We had. We made n
dive back and got some more gun.
cotton, and were making to have an
other go when an officer ordered us
back. saying it was no use trying"
Wounded British soldiers in the
hands OF the Germans have hit upon
a novel way OF communicating with
their families and friends at home.
They subscribe small sums Of money
to the German Red Cross Society. but
as few Of them have any cash they
I'LL up draft form, or sign a cheaue
to be sent to London and honored. On
the back of the draft the banker Is
requested to communicate the news
of the drawers safety to his home
Tommy Atkins thinks It is well worth
dollar subscription.
American Rhodes scholars revisit
ing Oxford would hardly recognize
the great seat OF learning in England
for the famous old colleges have
been turned into barracks. and in ad-
dition to the town being in charge
Of the military. practically every
able-bodied undergraduate has Joined
the army or navy.
The University o. T. C. (Officers'
Training Corps) was Of course mo-
oiiized with the rest of Britains regu-
lar and volunteer forces, but from a
modest four hundred strong the corps
rapidly jumped to nearly two thous-
and and already 1900 OF its members
have been granted commissions. All
commissions in the British army and
navy must be signed by the king, but
Oxford stands up for its ancient
rights. and insists upon the right OF
the Vice-Chancellor to countersign
those granted to Oxford graduates.
The playing fields and twing paths
which, three short months ago were
peopled with vigorous young Eng
Ilshmen clad in flannels and college
blazers, and which echoed the laugh |
ter of their fair admirers now show |
nothing but drab khaki. Exeter Col !
lege is the headquarters of the Oxford |
and Buckinghamshire light infantry. |
and the soldiers occupy the college |
buildings and meadows. Cardinal |
Wolsey's spacious kitchen is in dual
Of cooks. civil and mill.
-ary' who Cooperate amicably in the
leeding OF the troops and the few
hundred students still "up." Cam
bridge has also answered the call TO
arms but Oxford is exulting over the
TACT that it has beaten its rival by
several hundred. in the matter Of re-
,ruits.
In one big tent at a Catherham
amp is the following happy family
I'll new recruits to Kitchener's ARMY
\ London teacher of languages. a
sheffield traveller in cutlery. a Buck
nghamshire groom, Midlothian
scotland) miner, a Yorkshire miner.
Cornish farmers son, a Sussex foot
nan an Essex chauffeur, an English
'outh from Brussels, three cockney
'lerks and two Surrey gardeners All \
ne dialects and accents of Great Brit.
I'm are represented. and the choral
'Itect when the occupants Of the tent
ing Its a long way to Tipperai