The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1916-09-29
BRAVERY IN FOREIGN LEGION
WINS BACK POST FOR CASH.
IERED MAN.
STARTS AS A PRIVATE
British Officer Wins Honors In
French Army And Is Glad To
Have Honor Back.

I
Ford Elkington-one of the strang-
est romances of this strange world
war. II is the ever-appealing, hu-
man story of another man who came
back"
Dismissed by court-martial from
the army he had served for nearly
thirty years. just as his regiment
was going into action in France in
the closing months of 1914, this
English officer. disgraced at a time
of life when the chances of fate weigh
heaviest against a man fighting for
suddenly lost honor, found refuge
in that queerest of all military or
CARNATIONS, the foreign legion of
France.
Enlists as Private.
Lost in the mazes of the western
battlefields, a mere legionaire in the
ranks, Colonel ELLINGTON. late of the
Royal Warwickshires. was all but
forgotten. None of his old friends,
his fellow officers, none of the men
who had seen him win the queens
medal for valor in South Africa, none
of these knew that Ellington was
out there somewhere in France"
recklessly winning his way back.
But now Ellington is back in Eng
land. Pinned on his breast are two
OF the coveted honors of France
the military medal and the military
cross, but most valued possession
of all is a bit of paper which wipes
out the errors of the pasta procla-
nation from the official London Ga
zette announcing that the king has
graciously approved the reinstate'
ment of John Ford Ellington in the
rank of lieutenant colonel, with his
previous seniority, in consequence OF
his gallant conduct while serving in
the ranks of the foreign legion of
the French army"
Returned to Old Post.
Not only has Colonel Ellington
been restored to the army, but he has
been reappointed in his old regiment
the Royal Warwickshires, in which
his father served before him.
In this same London Gazette at
the end of October, 1914, had appear
ed the crushing announcement that
Ellington had been cashiered by SEN
tence of general court-martial. What
his error was did not appear at the
time and has not been alluded to in
his returned hour of honor:
1t was a court-martial at the front
at a time when the first rush OF wal
was engulfing Europe and little time
could be wasted upon an incident OF
this sort The charge. it now is
stated, did not reflect in any way
upon the officers personal courage,
But with fallen fortunes he passed
quietly out of the army and enlisted
in the Legion-that corps where
thousands of brave but broken men
have found a shelter and now and
then an opportunity to make them
selves whole again.
Suffers Shattered Legs.
Colonel Ellington did not pass I'M
scathed through fire. His fighting
days are ended. His knees are shat
tered and he walks heavily upon his
sticks.
"They are Just fragments from
France he said of those wounded
knees, and smiled in happy reminis-
cence of all they meant.
1T is wonderful to feel" said Colo
mel Ellington, that once again
have the confidence of my king and
my country. am afraid my career
in the field is ended. but | must not
complain"
Colonel Ellington made no at
tempt TO cloak his name or his for
mer army service when he entered
the ranks OF the legion.
why shouldn't / be a private
he said. 1T is an honor for any
man to serve in the ranks of that
famous corps. Like many Of the
other boys. had bebt to wipe on.
Now ii is paid"