The Elk Mountain pilot., 1916-11-09

round at him and hit him. l was
dnzed for a second, and did not know
whether to rush him or not, SO l
shouted to my party to get round the
traverse. 1 then reloaded and kept
guard while the officer and men be-
hind threw bombs at the enemy. A
little later we got word to retire, so
l kept guard while my party got
clear of the trenches, and then mount
ed the ladder and made my way back,
covering the enemy while the lads got
the wounded in. OF the SO men in the
whole raid 21 We're reported missing,
II got back wounded and 81 answered
the roll call. After the shelling had
subsidized l was able to get back to the
village, and the next day had an inter
view with the major general in charge
of the division. An officer took my
name and number and said that l
would soon have something to wear
on my breast"
That something" is the Victoria
CrOSs-with its inscription-"For
Valor."
Lieutenant saxter's Exploit.
Lieutenant Baxter, a Liverpool man
who has been awarded the Victoria
Cross posthumously, closed his career
with an exploit which stands out
prominently. Here is the official
story:
Baxter was the captain Of dare
devil trench-raiding party known to
their comrades as the Forty Thieves
hnn Nf I,@ e..
never known to come back from 4
raid without pile of swag in the
shape of captured Germans. One
night Baxter took his men out under
cover of machine gun fire. At n criti-
cal moment Baxter tripped and drop
ped bomb he was carrying. 1t was
when they We're nearly through and
could hear the movements of Ger
man sentry a few feet away. Baxter
had previously removed the split-pin,
and obviously the lever flew out and
the fuse commenced to fizz. Within
five seconds 1t would have exploded,
scattered the wire party and given the
whole show away. Scarcely hesitat-
ing to think of the risk, he picked it
up, whipped the case plug out of the
screw and threw away the detonator,
which went off unnoticed. 1t was n
fine example of merit, skillfulness and
resource. But more was to follow.
"The party cut all the wire that de-
Tended the German trench and leaped
into the trench and turned in single
file alternately right and left, one sec
ton led by Sergeant McClelland and
the other by Baxter. This trench was
very deep, about twelve to fifteen feet.
and 1t was obvious that there would
be trouble in hauling out any fat and
unwilling souvenir of the occasion in
the shape of a prisoner.
Tribute In Orders.
"The sentry they had heard was
promptly shot. Another was bayonet-
ed and as he fell back bomb was
thrown out of dugout ard exploded
at the entrance, fortunately doing the
raiders no damage. Six bombs were
sent In by way Of an exchange of COM
pliments and more sentries were met
and given the unhappy dispatch.
They screamed like lot of old wom-
en-, said one man who was on the spot.
The bombers attended to three more
dugouts. and afterwards the whole
party withdrew, without noise and
confusion. on prearranged signal be-
ing given. They returned to their
own trenches to the tune of rapid fire
all along the whole front from the
British field guns and 'heavies.'
ut was glorious little exploit, but
sad tidings awaited the party on re-
assembling in their own line, for no.
where was the gallant Baxter. Search
parties went out for him. but without