Gilpin observer., 1914-12-31
IS HERO OF HEROES
Corporal Rewarded for Repeated
Acts of Gallantry.
With 25 Men He Occupies New Ger.
man Trench and Defends II Against
Whole Company-Rescues
Officer Under Fire.
BY r. FRANKLIN TATE.
international News Service. }

'ihtriidtioHdi -NtWS otINiCe.J
Paris.-Corporal Phillip of the Twen-
ty-fourth Colonial infantry is 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 officer 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, know you are gallant
fellow. and that is my reason for in
trusting you with an extremely peril.
GUS mission. At nightfall you will
take 25 men and go to the crest yon-
der. where German soldiers are seen
digging a trench You are to en-
deavor to remain there in concealment
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 cor.
poral saw German engineers digging
a trench, while a sentry kept guard.
Hiding "a Of his men in a little wood,
he took the twenty fifth man with him.
saying: When we get near the Ger
man sentry and he cries. 'Wer dat you
must keep apart from me, to the left,
and make 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" ;"
Stealthily the two approached SO
near the sentry that they could hear
hin, softly humming a tune. Then
Phillip moved to the right and inten.
tional1y made slight noise.
''Wer da!" challenged the sentry
Instantly the soldier keeping to the
left ratified his bayonet and the Ger
man turned toward him. At the same
moment Phillip was on him. running
him through the body twice with his
bayonet. His aim had been SO true
that the sentry dropped dead without
cry. The men working vigorously
in the trench twenty or thirty yards
away had heard nothing. Quicker
than a quick-change artist the cor
porah donned the dead mans helmet
and cloak and selling his rifle began
pacing up and down in his stead Ev-
cry now and then as he passed he
rolled the body little farther away.
At last the trench was ready. and the
Germans retired to the main body,
calling friendly good-by to the sen.
try. who. without a word continued on
his beat. But they had no sooner dis,
appeared than helmet and cloak were
flung to the ground and the corporal
was running toward the wood. A few
later the &c French infantry.
men were installed in the German
trench
At daybreak Bavarian company
up to occupy the trench.
The men. all unsuspecting. were chat.
ting and Joking. A few yards away
from the trench murderous Are
greeted them. They attempted to
rush it, but 26 rifles kept moving
hem down. and finally the survivors
broke and hed-all except 1S. who
threw up their hands.
A few days later the corporal was
shot in the right arm and shoulder.
out refused to go to the ambulance.
He fought on for the next "a hours. In
he thick of the fighting he shot a
German officer. who fell. The corpo.
al ran forward to bring him in, but
he officer drawing his revolver. fred |
he last shot. the bullet shattering the |
'orporal's shoulder. The Frenchman |
lad strength enough to beat out his |
brains with the butt end of |
lis rifle. but then he collapsed with |
,ain and loss of blood.