The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-16
SOLDIER AGED rs
SPIRIT OF FRANCE
Veteran Of FrancO-Prussian
War Now a Corporal. Dig
ging Trenches.

Special Correspondence 10 Tar suS.
LONDON. Jan. 2.-France has n soldier
o: IS years OF age working In the under
ground tunnels in the deadly mine war
fare who won the Legion Of Honor In
the war OF 1870 and has now been
awarded with the War Cross.
He has been discovered by Warner
Allen. the authorized correspondent OF
the British press with the French armies
in the field. who discovered him through
an entry In the journal OJfcief men
tioning the aged 1nan for bravery In the
neid. The extract wiich caused much
wonderment among the men at the from.
who did not know the veteran hero,
read:
Corporal ssrrugue tChar'-N so sl3l.
Ninth Company, Sixth ReSlmfnt OF Eng,
Legion of Honor. volunteered. Tor the aura
ton OF the war AZ the age OF 10 asked 10
without any sign OF physical weakness AL
the work carried on by his coinpsny, ooth
by day and by night, under ne rnemy's
mode! 80 his younger comrades ot dlsci-
pin. energy and k-enne~s
Armed with the copy % the off'c'a!
|'ourna, OF the republic Mr.. Allen set
gu; 20 md the particular company men
toned IN a small village just behind fhe
Lines which had been heavily bombarded
n few hours previously. But the corporal
was not there he was At work-no one
was quite sure where. but they Thought
II was in a quarry where some mining
- f.,. .a,. Il, ntn1ra-
Like u Man Of Forty.
Til. search for Corporal Sarrugue took
a long time. but at las. he was dis
covered. a small man with a snow white
beard. with a plckaxe over his shoulder.
He II a sspper and a corporal" said
one OF the F-euch Officers. Perhaps II
IL Sarrugue '.msslf." The officer was
right. AZ FRS the corporal seemed over
powered n. 'ae thought that amy one
was looking for him. IL" led Nhe way
to an underground shelter through the
roof OF which drops OF water were fall
Ing and there he gave y brief account
Of his life.
With his pointed beard, white mus
tache and fresh complexion he looked as
active as n man OF ~. lie attributed
his green old age to walking. In private
lIt liz ~ a AANb u " WV
wears before the war he was mayor Of
his native town OF Auxerre. In 1870
CORPORAL Ssrrugue had been called to the
colors as n civil engineer and given the
rank OF captain. He was twice men,
toned In dispatches. After that war
he occupied himself with municipal af-
fairs In his native town, and AuSerre
owes much TO him for his excellent ad-
ministration.
AFTER the declaration OF war" he
said. II was very busy with RELIEF work
a. Auxerre. but / found that there were
plenty OF people to do that. and it is
excellent work for women. With "A
man who has any physical strength
left worth using there can be 70 doubt
let him go TO the front. So | passed
the medical examination, and they had
10 accent me. After three months
training ! went to the front at the be-
ginning OF July and there ] have been
ever since.
hears Honor Modestly.
IT took my part In all the prepare
tons for the offensive In September
LAST and ! was made a corporal on
October l.. I was really surprised that
they gave me the Croix de Guerre, for
| have done nothing for II. J have done
much less than the men who have
been here since the beginning of the
war. know OF course that they have
decorated me be ause OF my age. but
| really that doesn't count with me. and
am rather ashamed when | think OF
ali the men who have received nc
recognition of more important services.
'However, now I have got II. all |
ask Ia to bs given a chance TO deserve
IL. There Ia just one advantage in
being old. and that In that ono has a
certain influence with the younger men,
When they get impatient ] talk to them
about 1870 and what We went Through
then and Of how much better things are
to-day.
I'VE were not ready when this Wa
began, and yet We checked In the bat
Ties Of the Marine and tho User an
enemy superior In numbers and mag
nincently organized. We have imposed
| our will on him. and now he haa Just
got to wait until we crush him."