The Washington herald., 1914-12-27
death IS HIDDEN
in new Trench
Daring French Corporal Lays
Clever Trap for the
Germans.
WINS MILITARY MEDAL
By Placing Squad in New Defensive
Works. Invaders Are Surprised
and Slaughtered.
WINS MILITARY MEDAL

Paris. Dec 26-Corp. Philip, Of the
Twenty-fourth Colonial Infantry, Is a
brave of braves. He has been awarded
the military medal for repeated acts OF
gallantry In this war. When his lieu
tenant fell wounded and the Germans
were running up to capture him, the
corporal rushed in under their heavy fire
and rescued his oficer under their very
noses. He Is the kind OF man who comes
at once to the front when the situation
is desperate.
The other day the colonel sent for him
and said:
Phillip, l know you are brave. and
that Is my reason for intrusting you with
an extremely perllous mission. At night
fall you will take twenty-five men and
go to the crest yonder, where German
soldiers are seen digging q trench. You
are to endeavor to remain there in con-
cealment till the morning, when you will
return and report what you have seen"
At nightfall away went the little party.
On reaching the crest the corporal saw
German engineers digging a trench, while
sentry kept guard. Hiding twenty
four of his men in a little wood, he took
the twenty-fifth man with him. saying:
When We get near the German sentry
and he cries 'Wer dar you must keep
apart from me, to the left, and make a
noise with your bayonet. so as to make
him turn your way. Then, no matter
what he does or what do, lie down and
await my orders"
Watches in Disguise.
Stealthily the two approached so near
the sentry that they could hear him
softly humming a tune. Then Philip
moved to the right and Intentionally
made a slight noise.
40 oh lanpaI the in
stantly. The soldier. keeping to the left,
ratified his bayonet, and the German
turned toward him. At the same mo-
ment Philip was on him, running him
through the body twice with his bayo-
net. His aim had been so true that the
sentry dropped dead without a cry. The
men working vigorously in the trench
twenty or thirty yards away had heard
nothing. Quicker than quick-change
artist the corporal donned the dead mans
helmet and cleak, and seizing his rifle
began pacing up and down in his stead.
Every now and then as he passed he
rolled the body a little farther away.
At last the trench was ready, and the
Germans retired to the main body, call
ing a friendly goodbye to the sentry.
who. without a word continued on his
beat. But they had no sooner dissp-
peared than helmet and cloak were flung
to the ground and the corporal was run
ming toward the wood. A few minutes
later the Twenty-sixth French infantry
men were installed in the German
trench.
New Trench Deadly.
At day break a Bavarian company
marched up to occupy the trench. The
men, all unsuspecting, were chatting and
Joking. A few yards from the trench a
murderous fire greeted them. They at
tempted to rush 1t, but twenty-six rifles
kept them down. and finally the surviv-
ors broke and fied-all except eighteen,
who threw up their hands.
A few days later the corporal was shot
in the right arm and shoulder, but re-
fused to go to the ambulance. He fought
on for the next twenty-four hours. In
the thick of the fighting he shot Ger
man officer who fell. The corporal ran
forward to bring him in, but the officer.
drawing his revolver, fired the last shot,
the bullet shattering the corporaTs
shoulder. The Frenchman had strength
enough to beat out his enemy's brains
with the butt end of his rife, but then
he collapsed with pain and loss Of blood.