The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1916-05-19
QUICK THINKING
Saves SOLDIER
British Sergeant Tells of Daring
Exploit in Letter to
Rector.
RURLS HAND BOMB and RUNS
Wins Promotion and the Distinguishes
Conduct Medal for Sensational
Escape From German PATROL
ling Squad-Saved From
Prison by Bomb.

London.-Captured by a German pa
trolling squad, escaping through tn,
use of hand bomb which was over
looked when he was searched and mar
rowly escaping with his life in a rar
Of shell fire are some of the expert
ences which won promotion for Sergt
Arthur James Brooke and also the dis
| tinguished-conduC medal. In a letter
| to the rector of the church at his home
| in Manchester, which was printed re
Gently in an English newspaper Ser
geant Brooke gives the details of his
daring escape:
Il can hardly tell how thankful |
am in being able to write you this day
after the troubled experiences of Sun
day night last | have had many eX-
citing times previous to this occasion,
but nothing to be compared with this
last one. | took out my party of scouts
at half-past six in the evening and ar
ranged them in various positions
across the marshes Having done this
| remained with one small party.
Everything seemed all right, so off
l went myself to push farther on. But
before doing so / intended seeing an
other small party in another position
on my way. | got as far as my men
should be, but could not find them any
where. Something was wrong some
where, l thought. Suddenly | heard
someone coming and, it being a very
dark night, could not see who it was.
They passed me toward our position.
looked around to see if anybody else
was coming and saw another man.
up went my rife at ready and
said, Who are your
Working party was the reply in
good English.
Dropped Patrol With Shot.
"'Come here, working party | said.
He came until | saw he was German,
and then he dropped at shot from
my best friend, my rifle. l then turned |
to do those who had passed me some
thing also and did succeed in damag- |
ing one or two However, they came |
from all directions for me and soon |
had me a prisoner. They took away
my best pal, the rifle, and my ammuni-
ton Next went my cap. Following
this the beautiful scarf which you sent
was taken from me, also my letters
after they had got enough souve-
Mrs half dozen of them commenced
% drag me toward their village. While
was being taken away 4 terrible
struggle was taking place between one
,ther scout and other Germans in a
wood This half dozen took me about
wo hundred yards toward the village
md then left only one tall man, over
ix feet, with me. Now was chance
or me, I thought. / said short pray
IT asking him to help me get back to
ny comrades safely.
Then | suddenly thought of bomb
which | had carried with me- 1t was !
ot in a pocket where | had put my
ther things, but was in slit in my
Gather jacket | suppose that is the
eason they overlooked it, for it was
till there. ] then managed to get it
ut, but found could not pull out the
afety pin with only my right arm.
Iowever, | did the trick by hitting
i'm on his temple with it, dropping
i'm without a word Off | made as
lst as my legs would carry me, and
t once out came another lot to get :
le.
Still the bomb was left. stopped
ulled out the pin and threw the bomb
mong them. 1t put more Of them out
{ the fight. but still they kept after v
e. They were only few yards from v
stalking me when our machine gun S
Dened fire on them.a | was safe from Il
lem then, but was in danger of being d
lot down by our own gun which had t.