The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-24
HEROIC DEEDS OF
 BRITISH OFFICERS WIN RECOGNITION
Five Additional Victoria Crosses Announced and Accounts of How They
 Were Won Interesting

London. September 10-(Correspondenc
 of the Associated Press.)-The award of
 five additional Victoria Crosses is an
 nounced in the London Gazette. Four of
 them were won by most conspicuous
 bravery in connection with bomb-throw-
 ing exploits which now constitute such
 an important feature of trench warfare. It was during operations southwest of
 Kritha on the Gallipoli peninsula that
 Capt. Gerald Robert O'Sullivan, First bat
 talion, Royal Inniskiling fusiliers, won
 the highest award for valor This is
 what he did. as narrated in the official report:
 ''On the night of July 1-2. 1915 when it was essential that a portion of a
 trench which bad been lost should be re- gained Captain O'Sullivan, although not
 belonging to the troops at this point. volunteered to lead a party of bomb throwers to effect the recapture He advanced in the open under very heavy fire, and, in order to throw his bombs with greater effect. got up on the parapet where he was completely exposed to the fire of tbe enemy occupy ing the trench. He was finally wounded but not before his inspiring example had led on. his party to make further efforts. which resulted in the recapture of the trench.
 'On the night of July 1s-1s 1915. Cap tain O'Sullivan saved a critical situation in the same locality by his great per sonal gallantry and good leading" Came to Grief at Last On the day following this announce
 ment came another, more sinister. in the official casualty list giving Captain OSullivan in the list of missing Sergeant James Sommers of the same battalion won the Victoria cross at the ! same time "When, owing to hostile bombing, some of our troops had retired from sap" says the report in the Lon don Gazette, Sergeant Sommers remain ed alone on the spot until party
 brought up bombs. He then climbed over into the Turkish trench and bombed the Turks with good effect.
 Later on he advanced into the open under very heavy fire and held back the enemy by throwing bombs into their | flank until barricade had been estab- llshed. During this period he frequently ran to and from our trenches to obtain fresh supplies of bombs"
 | What Second Lieutenant Herbert James | of the Worcestershire regiment. did to win the cross in the Gallipoli operations, is thus described: "On June 2S. 1915. when a portion of regiment had been checked owing to all the officers being put out of action Second Lieutenant James, who belonged to a neighboring unit, entirely on his own initiative, gathered together a body of men and led them forward un- der heavy shell and rifle fire. He then returned, organized second party and again advanced. His gallant example put fresh life into the attack.
 Held Back Enemy Single Handed | "On July 3. in the same locality, he headed a party of bomb throwers up a. Turkish communication trench. and, aft | CT nearly all his bomb throwers had been
 killed or wounded, he remained alone at the head of the trench and kept back the
 enemy single-handed till a barrier had l been built behind him and the trench secured. He was throughout exposed to
 a murderous fire"
 | It was between Cambrin and Le Basse;
 in France, on August 3, of this year, that Second Lieutenant George A. B. Roche | fort of the Scots Guards, displayed most conspicuous gallantry' and won the V. c. At 2 a. m German trench mortar
 bomb landed on the side of the parapet
 of the communicating trench in which he
 stood close to a small working party of l his battalion. He might easily have
 stepped back a few yards round the bor- der into perfect safety but, shouting to | his men to look out he rushed at the
 bomb. seized 1t, and hurled it over the
 parapet, where it at once exploded l There is no doubt" adds the official
 report, that this splendid combination of presence of mind and courage saved the lives of many of the working party l The wish is expressed in the London
 papers that some enterprising film pro- ducer turn out series of moving pie lures depicting various exploits by which | the " e has been won.