East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1915-01-25
By II. NJ. sARLE.


United Press Staff Correspondent
LONDON, Dec. SO.-(By Mail to-
New YorK.)-"why doesn't someone
20 and help him?"
"Why net 60 yourself?"
The sequel to the above question
and answer in the trenches at LeI
Cheer. Franco-Belfian frontier, was
that Drummer Spencer John Bent, Isl
Fact Lancashire regiment, qualified
for the Victoria Cross.
The official account Of the act oil
heroism fer which the V. V. was
awarded states that Bent also display
ed remarkable presence Of mind and
took commanc OF his platoon when
the officers and platoon leaders had
been shot down, but II 1t hadn't been
for that sarcastic query, "Why not
20 yourseif7" he might not have go'
the little bronze cross which Is tie
ambition cf every British soldier.
Bent, who is home. wounded. tells
the story !n a very matter of fact
way: I'VE we're, as usual, taking our
hour turns aiternatively, watching Tor
the enemy and I had snuggled down
hto my hole. We had no officer IN
our trench. and my platoon leader
had gone TO visit a post when some
one passed the word down the line
that the cattalion was to retire. THIS
va, being done when 1 woke up l
started to follow them, when re-
memLered "A German trumpet when
had found and had carried with me
for some time.
"I did not want to lose It, so went
back for II, CHANGING a bullet. When
got into the trench l saw someone
lust coming round the corner, ana
thinking Il was a German, waited
for him Till he had crawled up to me.
then roked my rifle into him ana
asked him who he was. 1t was SER
seant Waller who told me that the
Retirement Was a wrong order. l az
once Jumped out OF the trench and
ordoreI the men back. While l was
doing this, an officer came up, ana
after had told him what had hap;
pened he directed me to get the men
back while he went after some others
We all got back safely into the trench
and waited.
"In the carly morning the Germans
evidently thought we had left the
trenches for after bombardment
they attacked. They came on doins
a sort of goose step. our officers Kept
our fire back, and in the meantime
Lieutenant Dyer brought up ma
chine gun. When the Germans were
amout 400 yards off, the order was
given TO fire and they went down in
hundreds. very few of them getting
back to their own trenches.
AFTER breakfast, Private McNuly
went out of the trench and on return
ing was hit in the pit of the stomach
He fell. and the Germans were trying
TO hit him again; you could see inc
earth flying all around him. l saiu,
why doesn't someone go out anu
helm him?" and got the reply why
not go yourself went. To make y
more difficult for the Germans 10
hit me. zigzagged towards him.
along the ground, They did not snipe
NJ me while | was advancing, but as
soon as got hold of McNully's shoul-
der something seemed to take my feet
from under me, and I slipped down
by him. Ill,
"This happened close to the walls
of ruined convent, and just as l
feu several bullets struck the wall
sanding piece OF plaster against my
left eye. l thought l was wounded
ana started to rub the blood away
as thought. but fortunately the
skin was only grazed. l felt 1t was
the time to get out Of 1t, and Know
ing Il was impossible to stand up
hooked my feet under McNully's arms
and using my elbows, managed TO
drag myself and him back to the
trenches, about twenty-five yards
away. When / got him there went
for n doctor and got n bullet through
the flesh OF my right leg, and had to
be taken to n hospital"
Tragic experiences of survivor OF
n mined steamer were related when
the steam trawler Remagia londed at
Gimsby, swede named Nielsen, one
OF the crew Of the Danish steamship