South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-07-02
DRAGON GUARDS
Do HEROIC WORK
BEHIND CHATEAU
Hold Ground While Germans
Send Shelter Flying With
Heavy Artillery Fire = One
Man Saves Seven Wounded.

BRITISH HEADQUARTERS IL
FRANCE. July There are occa-
si7ns when IL not only permissible
ut evcn an act Of ordinary justice
10 menticn one regiment to the exclu-
sion OF Others which are taking part
ira the same operations. such pre-
eminence Is certainly due 10 the 3rd
Dragon Guards for the part which
they played at the Chateau OF HODGE.
The situation when the dragon
guard took mp their position was ap-
parently normal Cavalry have al
ways shown themselves careful en-
trenChers. and luckily the 3rd Ora
coon Guards are no exception TO this
rule Ire trenches were steadily
built up and improved throughout the
night II was lucky for them that
this was done. At ? p. m. the next
day the German artillery attack be
gan and ragged hereby for hours.
This gun fire was supported by a
heavy machine gun and rifle fire.
Occupy Ruins.
The night was comparatively quiet.
though the Germans opened fire with
their artillery at 3 a. m. The British
however. were ready for an advance.
and Lieut.. Katanakis was sent for
ward with a party to occupy the ruins
OF the chateau and the stables lying
about 100 yards 10 one side. A few
Germans who were occupying the
chateau, promptly fed but two were
killed. A. seven the chateau was SO
severely shelIed that Lieut.. Katanakis
and his men had TO be withdrawn to
cover. Again. between three and five
that afternoon there was another
fierce bombardment. and the village
of Hooge was finally reduced to COM
plete ruin. Nevertheless, the British
held on tenaciOusly. and actually sue
ceeded in materially consolidating
their position. and later in the even
ing Lieut.. KatanaHs again occupied
the chateau
The next day was comparatively in
active on the British side though the
Germans shelled vigorously. In the
evening, however, the British caught
sight Of about 60 of the Germans
moving along a trench about so yards
from the chateau, and succeeded in
killing a number Of them.
Fire 20 a Minute.
The real fury of the German at
tack was felt on the following day.
From early till late their artillery, fir
ing high explosives, shrapnel and oc-
casiOnal stink bombs searched the
trenches and the lines of communica-
tion with a torrent OF projectiles
which at times came over at the rate
of 20 10 the minute. ON this day they
do not confine themselves to gun and
rifle fire only. but made several at
lacks One such attack was begun by
q small part of about 80 men, who
were seen advancing towards the
chateau from beside the Zellewaarde
lake, that lies a little 20 the north
The Germans were allowed to
reach the chateau. but as soon as they
were there a battery opened on them.
The Germans promptly rushed into
the open and were caught by machine
guns. Back they went into the cha
teau and out the other side. other
machine guns caught them there.
Three times they tried TO escape in
this way. At the most four or five
managed 10 crawl away. and even
they were probably hit and wounded.
In the afternoon, also. an attack
was made by small parties, but none
of the attacks were pressed home.
and at no time did the enemy get
within so yards Of the trenches The
attacks. it is COnjectuTed, did not eX-
pDct 20 meet with any opposition, and
one German officer who obviously
thought that the British had been
smothered by the inferno of artillery
fire was shot as he was cody stroll
ing along outside his own trenches
During a heavy Smelling of HOOge
village one post of three men was
blown 10 bits. Another took its place.
one man was at once killed. and a
second was wounded and buried in
falling brickwork TO the shoulders.
Private Leigh, who was acting as a
stretcher bearer went out under the
heavy shell fire and for two hours
strove 10 disentagle the buried man
while az the same time he assuaged :
his suffering as far he could. /
Eventually he succeeded i'm getting his
comrade free. but il was too late The
man was dead. Private Leigh also
saved seven or eight other wounded .
men from another regiment
south African a Hero.
Corporal Prentice. a South African .
he was promoted for the act OF
bravery-showed equal daring. He
had been stationed at a point of oh
unnecessarily exposed he was called .
hack by his sergeant. but he sturdily
declined to move \ shell carried
away part of his shelter but Corporal
Prentice calmly reestablished himself
SIN the remaining portion. and did good /
work during the rest of the day.
Another South African who also
distinguished himself is LanCe-COr- F.
poral Stewart. who volunteered TO act /
as an orderly and six times in one /
day carried urgent messages over an /.
exposed stretch OF ground in order /.
10 save time whereas he could have
gone I'M comparative safety by a more /.
Circultcus route He escaped unhurt T
and thus had better fortune than Pri- .
waite Kerr. who was also acting as .
messenger and who twice in one day .
was blown up by a shell on the .
second occasion he was buried up 10 .
his waist.