The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-09-19
LOST BEING FOUND
Many British Soldiers Reported Lost
Are Returning to Their Conn
mands


first actual casualty lists, because
the missing out-numbered more
than ten to one the combined dead
and injured. How could SO many
men get lost?'' Was the question on
every ones lips and constantly asked.
The missing" are now being
explained by the daily arrival or
groups of stragglers, who got lost
from their regiments and have come
back to join new battaFons being
formed.
by the Boulogne boat arrived an
unkept, ragged group OF eight men
in the garb of French peasants.
One had a corduroy Jacket, trous-
ers much too short for him, and
bathing shoes. Unwashed, and with
two or three days growth of beard
on their faces, they walked out of the
Harbour station.
las they passed out talking, /
caught a broad Irish ibrogue and a
response i'm an equally pronounced
Scotch dialect.
who are your" inquired
British soldiers, guv'nor!" was
the reply. Lost our regiments, Ibor-
rowed these ERE togs, came through
the German lines, reached Boulogne
at last, and now we are going to
Shorncliffe to report. Then we are
going back agadnl"
got into conversation with them,
and heard from them a remarkable
story.
They were of various regiments
Royal Scots, Irish Rifles, Somersets,
Niddlesex, Innfslxil1ings, etc, and
they told me of having been sur
rounded In a small French village,
which they thought was called A,u-
berge, several miles south of Mons,
by a large German force; of having
made their way right through the
German lines and of being directed
by French peasants, who told them
the way across country.
a London man, whom his com
rades called Bill, told how, though
overwhelmingly out-numIbered, the
British forces had held their own
against the Germans for "a hours,
infiicting very heavy loss and suffer-
ing severely themselves.
After Mons the general retirement
began, and was accompanied by fight
ing every day and nearly all day,
l.io4hf down tine COUNTRY
We were very hard pressed all
the way. On "Wednesday we were in
village which was sheIled, and
eventually blown to bits. The Ger
mans advanced across bridge. They
were holding women and children ID
front of them mot driving them. buI
literally carrying them, holding the
women up below the armpits To
screen themselves Of course, our
gunners could not do any thing. 1T
was worse than any savage warfare
/ have ever imagined. .
When they were cut off from their
regiment, they had no orders as to
where they were to return to, and
knew nothing of the country. Their
officers, being mounted, managed, to
get back to their supports, but these
men found it impossible to join their
own lbattalions.
They spoke very highly of the
kindness of the French peasants, af-
ter they once could make them un-
derstand who they were.
up to then. explained the Lon
don man, they were inclined to
doubt us"
An Irishman, whom his. friends
called Paddy, told me of the Brit.
fsh losses at Mons. His view of the
extent of the execution inflicted BY
the Germans was, I think, an exag-
gerated one, and refrain from re
peating it. He admitted that his
own regiment was particularly for.
tunate, for after "A hours in the
trenches they lost only five killed
and thirteen wounded.
FOR the German musketry fire he
had profound contempt, but theil
artillery commanded his respect.
The British force was pushed for.
ward SO rapidly to the attack THAI
they were ordered to leave then
l1napsacks on he ground, he idea be
ing to take the Germans by sur.
prise.
For days after that, > said Paddy
1--WE had little food. It was not tina
the food was not there. Every time
we were getting our rations cooked
the Germans were on us, and we hat
to retire bit further still. They
seemed to wait until they saw it was
breakfast time, and smelt our bacoI
cooking.
II hope you will say that many o
the men r,annrted missing are doubt