Evening journal., 1915-08-21
RY wILBUR S. FORREsT.
United Press STAFF Correspondent

United Press staff Correspondent.
LONDON. Aug. 1O.-(By Mail j.
The charmed life of Lieutenant j.
G. Smyth 18th Laudhiana Sikhs, and
the manner in which his almost fam
atical bravery won for him the Vic
toria Cross was described today in
official dispatches from Northern
France
Followed by ten volunteer Indian
Sepoys of his regiment which held
a reserve trench May II near Ferme
Du Bois, Smytb covered perilous
Journey with desperately needed am
munition for comrades who had TAX
en- portion of an enemy trench but
who faced annihilation from an i'm
pending reinforced attack.
Telling that with the break OF day
il was ascertained that the German
section of the forward trench was
packed with men ready to attack, the
narrative continues:
The situation was desperate. 1t
was resolved to attempt to relieve It
by sending up bombing party from
the reserve trenches. The nature Of
this undertaking may be gauged from
the fact that two attempts had been
made by the Highland Light Infan-
try and both had failed; the officers
in command being killed and the par
ties having suffered very severely.
However. the position was critical.
and Lieutenant Smyth. a young off,
Ger who, in spite of his years-only
numbering twenty already
been brought to notice for his gal
Iaitry. was ordered TO take command
Of the party.
Volunteers were called for and
were Immediately forthcoming. The
alacrity with which the demand was
responded to speak volumes for the
spirit of the regiment for each man
felt sure he was proceeding to al
most certain death.
Lieut.. Smyth and his little party
started at 2 p. m. to cover the 250
yards which intervened between them
and our trench taking with them two
boxes of sc bombs.
The ground to be covered was alb
solutely open, devoid of natural COW
er.
The only possible shelter from the
frightful fire which met the party as
soon as they were over the parapet ;
was an old broken down trench
which at the best Of times, was hard
ly knee deep, but now in places, was
filed almost to the top with the dead
bodies of Highland Light Infantry
Worcesters, Indians and Germans.
Dropping over our parapet they
wriggled their way through the mud
pulling and pushing the boxes witt
them, until they reached the scanty
shelter of the old trench. where they
commenced the progress which fol
sheer horrors can seldom have beer
surpassed.
Pagris (ropes) had been attached
to the front of the boxes. BY means
of these the men in front pulled the
boxes along and through the deaC
bodies while those in rear pushed
with all their might, the whole party
lying fat
At any moment the bombs nigh
explode.
The whole ground was kissing will
the deluge of rifle and machine gur
fire, while the air above them wal
white with the puffs of shrapnel.
To the anxious watchers IN the reai
II seemed impossible that a single
man should win through.
After they had accomplished
mere twenty yards of their deadl!
journey Sepoy Fatteh Singh ROLLED
over wounded. followed in the mex
eighty yards by Sepoy Sucha Singh
Upiagar Singh and Sunder Singh.
This only left Lieutenant Smytl
and six men to get the two boxel
along. Under ordinary circumstance
Tour men were required to handle ;
box OF bombs. However, these wer'
super-men, and the thought of thei
comrades in dire necessity ahead o
them put fresh heart into them. The.
crawled on and on. until just befor,
they reached the end of The trench
the party had dwindled to two. Lieu