The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-01-14
OFFICER GETS
REVENGE FOR
CHILD'S HURTS

With the British Armies in
France, Jan. 12.-(Correspondence of
The Associated Press.) - The full
story Of the heroism of a British
captain who was so moved with
hatred Of the Germans for Gripping
his child with a bomb, that he at
tackled and killed eight of them with
a club, and withstood a sudden Ger
man onslaught by his inspiring lead
ership, has just been received. The
tale has made the captains name a
bywOrd of gallantTy and bravery in
the British camp. Here are the facts:
When the Germans delivered their
tremendous assault against Masnieres
and Marcoing during their general
offensive on Nov. 80, those two towns
and the territory about them were
being held by a division of English
troops. On the staff of the COM
handing general there was a dash
ing captain who may be designated
as Captain Black for purposes of
this narrative.
Black was a man of long service,
and much beloved by all the troops.
He had been a jovial companion
until recently, when during a German
air raid over England his baby girl
was crippled for life by bomb.
Germans, and had sworn that he
would exact full penalty for the air.
mans deed.
The captain little knew when he
turned i'm on the night of Nov. 20,
how soon ne would be able to get
his revenge. Next morning the Ger
mans attacked Masnieres in force
and the brigade to the right of the
troops holding the town was forced
to fall back. The brigade in the
town, however, stood. firm, and
fought the enemy off. Meanwhile
waves of Germans had swept by to
the south of the town and were
swarming westward.
Brains Five With Cane.
Captain Black came out of his
headquarters south OF Marcoing to
find five Germans already in possess
sion Of a great dump nearby. So
quickly had the enemy advanced
that this was the first intimation
that they were nearby. Black had
in his hand a heavy walking stick
which was his only weapon. With
out a moments hesitation he charg-
ed the dump alone and beat about
him so fiercely that he Drained all
five opponents before they recovered
from the surprise. He had made
6oou HIS NOha Jul HIS WIN was hoS
finished.
Other Germans appeared west of |
Les Rues Verts, a southern suburb |
Of Masnieres. Black collected all the !
COCKS, orderlies and other /
servants available, and with two |
of regulars delivered an |
attack towards Rues Vertes. The |
Germans fell back and fierce hand |
to -hand fighting followed. Black led /
his little army from house to house /
and as often as the Germans made |
a stand he drove them out, until /
finally the whole suburb had been /
cleared with the exception of one /
machine gun whose crew OF eight |
men kept pumping bullets into the /
British ranks.
Charges On Machine Gun.
Black charged this machine gun /
with one orderly. Four other brave
Orderlies had been shot down beside /
him previously and this one also was
caught as the machine gun was
reached. Black then attacked the
Germans with a revolver In each
hand and shot down the last man of 4
eight. This cleared Rues Vertes of
The enemy and outposts were@estab-
ished about the place. Black had
been wounded during the fighting,
out ne nelu on 10 Ills IoAAAAAlotAu until
relief came next day.
This story is not the only one to
be related of that bitter day about
A regiment which had
he stfffest part of the fighting in
he town was made up of troops
Known as "die- hards", and they 1
fought all day with rifles and
layonets at close quarters and never
gave a step i'm the face Of n great
made against them. DUR
ng the fighting the colonel had been
wounded in one eve and so serious
was his injury that his other eye be-
came useless His troops continued
70 be SO hard pressed that it SEEM
~ probable they would give way.
Leads Troops While Blinded.
The colonel knew they needed all /
he encouragement possible to en-
lhle them to bear the awful strain.
IA called Tor an orderly. and led by