The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-06-13
Westerner in the British Army
... Hates Huns-Maine Boy
EnIists as Duty. -.
VARIED / TYPES WITH SPIRIT l||'|
One American Officer Addicted 70
Drink, Resigns, Enlists as Private
and Wins honors-eraves Fire
- escut German Wires
+: BY F. A. M'kENzIE

-
With the British Army in the Field.
II askedM hard-bitten Westerner what
had Induced him to join the British
ranks. II always hated 'greasers'
(Mexicans) and Huns" he replied.
II can't Kill 'greasers' or I'd be hanged.
But ] jumped at the chance Of killing
\ Huns, and Nm right on the job" /
asked a second, a quiet-spOken Maine
boy, who has won the military medal
for gallantry on the field. II thought
from the first that this was fight in
which alfOught to take part" he said,
land so I came" rS'T
The second is the prevailing type of
the Americans who have come here to
France. They have thought out the
matter, have come to decision, and
have Joined up for neither fun, frolic
nor adventure. Often enough, they
coldly hate and despise the German,
and when they let themselves go, their
eloquence,. about the Hun leaves their
less nimble-tongued nefghbors admir-
ingly enviOus. Gee, if I could only
talk like that" said one Alberta. boy
after an ex-Texan cowboy had spoken
his mind for five minutes on the Hun
as he really is. He never used the
same adjective twice. and each adjec.
tive was like an added drop of vitriol.
- Varied Types in Ranks.
They are Of varied types. There is,
for Instance, Lieutenant Larrabee, q
West Pointer, who broke his course to
join as a private. He earned the d. c.
NJ. for special gallantry in rescuing
wounded, and had his commission soon
after. Stephenson. a noted sniper in
one infantry battalion, was In the old
days a very well-known Western cow
puncher. w. H. Harton, now q Cana
dian ri1eman, was, when member of
the National, Guard of New York, a
champion pistol shot and one of the
competitors for the EIcho shield. He
was wounded at Zillebeke. Williams
Of Indiana was captain in, his state
militia. He Joined the French foreign
legion and won the Medaille militaire.
Then he was transferred to the Cana
dams. was wounded and decorated with
the British military medal. The story
Of Rogers, the American boy, who,
acting as runner. was wounded and
won the military medal on the Somme,
and then was claimed back by the
American authorities. is well known.
He didn't want to leave and officers
and men in his old regiment have moth
ing but good to say Of him. ....
Here Is a record of different kind,
and greatly as it is to the credit Of
the man, ] do not feel that ! ought to
give his name. a. brilliant young Of
fcer in the United States army re-
signed and was given, a commission
with the Canadians. He occasionally
drank too much, and as result was
advised to resign. He. did So but i'm
re-cnlsted as a private. "1f
I can't keep sober as an officer. I'll
have to when in the ranks" he said.
He. was sent to the front, where he
soon made fresh record, this time for
gallantry. He was attached to the ma
corps and won promotion
to sergeant and the military medal.
After one heavy fight, in which he
stood out as born leader, he was
offered another commission, which he
accepted. His old weakness had been
conquered. When there's a bit Of dar-
Ing he is the man for it. Everyone adj
mires and likes him. I'D rather had a
man who'd trippod UP and recovered
than one who hadn't enough blood in
his veins to feel the force of tempta-
Eion," said one experienced general to
ne. give no use for the second kind"
Braves Fire, Cut German Wires.
Sergeant Martin is another Ameri-
,an who won d. C. NJ. At the fight
FOR Observatory ridge there was
,reat deal of wire obstructing our adj
,ance. The whole front was swept
" shell fire, machine guns and snipers.
t seemed certain death to go out.
Martin crept from our trenches in
road daylight, stealthily approached
he German wire, cut quite quantity
md returned. Incidentally. he was
Wounded. "He showed a very fine ex-
nipple as q soldier" say his superiOrs.
Private G. Sale. another young
american. won a military medal in the
anne advance. Although wounded, he
insisted on going back into the firing s
inc as soon as his wounds were !
ressed. carrying a load Of grenades
With him. He was then wounded a
econd time. Lieut.. ]. L. Macfarlane
f San Francisco was machine-gun Of
Ger for battalion Of pioneers. He :
ad earned his promotion from the
anks. He died at Maple copse.
Income L sroeIv Increased hv 1ins