New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-09
ONE MAN ALONE
HELD TRENCH HOURS
Another RiSked Life III Flames
10 Rescue Fellows Many
Deeds Go UNreWardcG.

is crowded into a bricf paragraph, Tor
heroic deeds are the rule ana not the
cXccp:ion.
In Inc House OF Lords the ether day
a speaker said IL WAS common gossip
that the members of the British Head
quarters STAFF received 80 per cent Of
The decorations, while sustaining 2i@
per cent of the casualties. the rcgi-
mental officers sustaining 80 per cent
OF The casualties and receiving . = per
cent Of the decorations.
Nor are the AFOREMENTIONED Of
icers and men being forgotten. This
weeks list contains the names Of mory
than 200 non-conmissioncd officers and
men who have been awarded the Dis
tinguished Conduct Medal Tor Gallar-
try and devotion in france ard The
Dardancllcs. \ great number of ,hcm
distinguished themselves by attending
and bringing in wounded undc' fire.
Rescued Comrades in Fire.
Here are accounts OF some OF the
deeds that won medal When al Suvla
Bay the Turks set fire to the scrub to
retard the rush Of the British troop.
+ Ouartermastcr Sergeant Prosscr, Of the
6th Battalion Border Regiment. wcn-
out through the hail OF bullets ana
/ shells to bring IN some wounded who
were in danger of being burned -
death. He picked up a wounded officer,
/ threw him over his shoulder and
started back. but before he could reach
/ shelter second bullet killed the o.
hcer. Again Prosser rushed forward
undaunted by the shower Of sho- ana
shell, saddled himself with another
wounded soldier and got him safely
10 shelter. Again and again he made
his way out into the inferno and each
,ime returned with wounded Tommy.
During the same engagement, when
proved one Of the most costly Of The
whole Dardanclles expedition. Lance
Corporal \. u. Breesc. Of a Lincoln
hire Regiment, volunteered 20 heip
4 rescue six WOUNDED men from the
/ burning scrub. In company with a
voung officer he made his way over tho
J. rough ground % the advanced position.
found the men and got them all back
safely
These cases are typical OF many
others. and 81 must be remcmNefeG
that lhcrc arc hundreds OF instances o.
individual bravery which go unre-
warded because they happen 10 escape
the notice o. the busy officers.
Ignores Wounds; Saves others.
The fortitude OF some Of the mon Is
. simply amazing. Take the casc ot
Lance Corporal j. Williams, OF tne
ROYAL Welsh Fusllicrs. This is the
way lie won the d. {. W.: There vas 3
sharp engagement at Festubcrt on Sep
TENDER >. Killed and wounded we're
stretched out all around after the
charge ana the counter charge. nefe
was q lull in the fighting, and Nhcn
Williams tool. stock Of his Injurc D."
found that z bullet had picrccd his lo.-
shoulder ard that merely two tht'aal@
were supporting what WIS lett q n'f
left hand. Have you ever tua q
splinter under your fingernaii' J. you
. t.
had il extracted ard tn" finger bound
up? Williams looked a. MS hand and
then looked around and saw s lot Of
his comrades who we're even worse oN.
And so he used his good right hand
for good hands, right or LETT. we're
scarce JUS. then to assist in bandae.
;ng all The wounded near MIN, Ar Il 81
The time he chcoicd and encouraged
the wounded about rim. When the
work was over nc refused the ofc' OF
the stretcher bearers and walked un-
aided through the communication
trench to the lirs, aid hospital, "ncra
the two threads we're severed.
Held Trench Single Handed.
Those who jump when the villain
tries 20 shoot the hero In the melo-
drama might put themselves In the
place Of Private Roberts. OF the 9Th
Battalion Rifle Brigade. He was sta
toned in IA trench on Bellewaarde Road,
on the west front. IL was bad posi-
ton. and one a er another OF his com
rades was killed, until he was the only
man remaining For two ma a half
hours the Germans threw bombs al him
without a moments let-up. Finally his
own supply gave out, and then he
brought his rife into play and kept
pumpine away until he exhausted his
last cartridge. Then he crawled along
TO where some German bombs had been
left. and where others had fallen, but
had not exploded. With these ne kept
IN the defence until reserves finally
arrived and drove back the enemy.
Private W. II. nixon, OF the % Bat
TALON. Cheshire Regiment went
through much the same experience at
Vcrmellcs on October !. His company
held an advanced position and was de
tailed 10 bomb throwing. For a whole
day and night he kept hurting these
death dealing missiles al the foe. There
came time when he was the only
member OF his whole company who vas
able 10 toss a bomb. Near him lay IN
officer badly wounded, but still able 10
offer him word Of cheer and COM
mendation. A bomb, with fuse burn
ing. dropped alongside the officer.
Nixon grabbed it and hurled 1t back
among the enemy. saving the officer q
! life. After twcnty-four hours of super
/ human work Nixon vas able 10 retire
with his wounded comrades.
Works Forty eight Hours Without Rest.
In normal times Jim Sweeney might
think his a hard lot If .hc had TO lose q
night. sleep, but Lance Corporal }.