Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-12-10
SEVERELY WOUNDED
BUT VERY HAPPY NOW
Dangerous Work of Scout
ing in Noman's Land Gave
Former Lieutenant, a
Young Halifax Attorney,
His Chance and He Took
It.
BY J. w. PEGLER.
United Press staff Correspondent

Omitted Press Staff Correspondent)
London. Nov. 24-(By mail.)-Dis-
grace proved the spur to spectacular
heroism which restored the forfeited
commission to Lieutenant o. B. Jones,
of Halifax, N. S., in Britain's new
army.
The lieutenant didn't offend so very
badly but he did fracture a few regula-
tions on a night in France and was
"cashiered" by court martial. The ef-
feet was the same as If he had forged
a mortgage, run from the enemy,
jumped a mess bill or sassed q field
marshal.
Eneased in a plaster cast, with no
prospect of ever fighting again, the
hero of Ypres and the Somme lives In
hope that he may do some useful work
for his country when the doctors have
done what they can for him.
HIS WAR HISTORY
Briefly. Jones' war history, up to the
time of disgrace, is this
Enlisted in December, 1914 in Hall
fax, where he had q budding law prac-
tice, came to England early in 1915 and
trained at Aldershot; went to the front
on November 90. acquitting himself
creditably; returned to England Feb.
g. 1916, having been relieved of his
commission two days previously.
After that Jones lost himself In the
masses of troops that poured in from
all parts of the globe. AS a private in
a Canadian regiment he found himself
back at the front within a month, do
ing his part in the fighting that i'm
mortalzed the Canadians at Ypres.
His military knowledge and his abso-
lutte disdain for danger soon won him
promotion to sergeant.
VOLUNTEERED FOR TASK.
The most dangerous work known to
soldiers then was the scouting in No
Mans land, essential to learn the dis
position of the enemy's strength. Jones
was an eager volunteer for the task. He
scorned to go out at night, preferring
broad daylight for his excursions to
the German lines.
Twice within a month the fearless
sergeant stole up to enemy snipers'
concealments and stole their metal
shields On one occasion the sniper
sighted him % yards off but scurried
back to the German trenches instead of
firing.
Jones craved real excitement 30 his
officers We're not surprised when he
volunteered to get behind the German
lines opposite his section and ascertain
their strength.
COUNTED THE ENEMY.
Accompanied by Sergeant Thompson.
Jones followed an old communication
trench to the German sand-bags, took
a spade off dead German lying in the
trench, and tunneled to the other side.
For two hours he lay in a hole, COW
cred by sand bag. counting the enc
my and surveying their bombs and
machine-gun strength while sentry
fired his way on suspicion.
Canadian artillery, aided by Jones'
information soon emptied that trench
section and the infantry took it. Jones
and Thompson. who later was killed.
received the Distinguished Conduct
medal for their exploit.
Jones repeatedly duplicated this feat
and received an added bar to his medal
in recognition. During one trip he
said he amused himself in idle mo-
ments by reading a pocket copy of
Omar.
MADE VERY HAPPY.
The restored commission dates from
Sept. Is, the day on which h, was Sc
verely wounded by machine-gun fire
on the Somme front.
I'm happy; ] can't tell how happy 1
am" said Jones today. 1T is a big
change for me. When l was brought
home ] kept thinking as the hospital
train ran along, nothing matters; l
don't care whether get better or not
When my brigadier informed me that
my commission was restored wanted
to get up. or shout or dSnce. cabled
my father in Canada and the days JOY
was complete when he walked into the
room a few hours later. l thought he
was still in Halifax.
TITS pretty good little world. after
all, isn't it? Yes. indeed, a pretty
good little old world"
-->>e-
Aluminium. one of the most abundant
and widely distributed of all the metals,
was little more than a laboratory Curl
osity until. in 1856. Charles Martin Hall.
then a young man of %, discovered
cheap way to reduce 1t. When he
made his experiments aluminium cost as
much as silver Few people ever heard