Evening journal., 1915-09-15
WAR MAKES Heroes
OF mere YOUNGSTERS
Victoria Cross for 21-Year-
Old Boy for Bravery in
DardanelleS
BEACHED CRAFT IN
FACE OF FURIOUS FIRE
By WILBUR S. FORREST.

United Press Staff Correspondent.
LONDON. Sept. 3.-CBy MaiD-The
type of men that are becoming nation
al heroes in England's greatest war is
exemplified today in the story of the
adventurous career OF Midshipman
George l.. Drewry. of London. who
has been decorated with the Victoria
Cross for valor at the Dardsnelles.
Not yet of age. Drewrys brief
twenty years have been packed with
thrills that rival the most romantic
heroes of Marryat's tales of the seas
He has sailed the world around, had
thrilling rescues from watery graves
and has been shipwrecked on a desert
isle, but no finer story OF heroism
has been told during the war than
his conduct while disembarking
troops from the steamship River
Clyde off Gallipoli peninsula.
The young midshipman was placed
in charge of a fiat boat at 8 a. m. on
the memorable day of the landing of
| the British expeditionary force
against the Turks. From the side of
the River Clyde, the vessel which was
/ later run ashore to facilitate the
]
out in it's plates. he steered straight
toward Cape Helles in the face of a
/ furious fire, to beach his craft where,
with others. it would act as a land
ing stage for the soldiers. Behind
him came the River Clyde. AS the
transport crunched its bow on the
sandy shore Drewry's lighter hit the
beach at her port bow. Jumping
ashore with a hauser he secured the
small craft and went to the aid OF
Captain Unwin who by this time had
jumped into the water in an effort Ia
place another lighter. Both, despite
machine gun and shrapnel, escaped
death by inches but we're unable al
once TO accomplish their task. Drewry
leaped aboard a lighter and then into
the water again to assist a wounded
soldier He then threw away his
revolver, coat and hat and went bach
to the aid of the captain. Shortly
afterward a bit of shrapLel struck the
youth on the head knocking hin
down He was carried aboard the
River Clyde. his wound dressed. and
he Immediately rushed back to the
aid of Captain Unwin With a rope il
his teeth he swan to other lighters
and fastened them to the grounded
craft. Twice he executed this fea
under sniping fire until rescued com
pletely exhausted.
The story of Drewry's gallantry a
the Dardanelles drew the story of hi
other adventures from his father ant
mother in London today. He ief
school at the age of sixteen, joine
the mercantile marine and was az
prenticed aboard the Indian Empire
large London sailing ship. An il
cident of his first year at sea was
fall from a high mast into the Sc;
He was rescued with difficulty. Thi
incident was nothing to the adver
ture which befell him later.
While sailing around Cape Horn i
| the Indian Empire a storm arose an
| the vessel was wrecked on a deser
: island. A heavy sea literally washe
:, the crew into a shallow bay, whic
was filled with seaweed. Swimmin
- and crawling over the vegetable mas
u the crew succeeded in reaching shore
r. For fourteen days they sustained e,
t istence on edible root and shell fisf
+ and managed to hold out until res
cued by a Chilean man-of-war.
After this in 1912, the youthful &C
@ venturer returned to England and wa
oil give an officers berth on a merchan
t liner. Since then he has travelled al
d over the world, and happened to b
IN Port Said in July, 1913, when h
d Joined the Royal Naval Reserve as
n midshipman. In August, 1914, he wa
c appointed to II. NJ S. Egmont. guarC
G ship at Malta and later to the torped
e gunboat Hussar. Afterward he wa
y transferred 10 the Transport Rive
s Clyde.
j He will be twenty-one years Of ag
N in November