Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-10-13

We beat them all back and smashed
one by an attack with the bayonet
when the enemy was still In the open.
IN mat tight we put to rout Il battalion
tured the colonel and most of the Of
hcers. besides inflicting heavy losses
on the enemy.
do not think, said an officer OF the
hfty, first divisional stan to me, that
any battle or series OF battles has pro-
duced such IL fine series or acts Of in
dlv.dual heroism as this one.
tn, -:iE-. -. .o.jH:1.::. -r-c the
iaSt OF rear guard cut off in Mametz
village. When their comrades were all
killed: these two sought refuge in n
shell hole. where they held on throuEi,
the night, defying all enemy attempts
to rush them.
them. named MEwan. was badly
wounded just as they had made up their
minds TO make n run for safety. He
insisted that his companion should go
without him, buf Patterson would have
nothing to do WITH such advice He
declared that whatever fate befell his
Somrade he would share. and before
dawn the two set out on their weary
trudge to the British lines after four
days of fighting and marching.
IL was hopeless task. for MEwan
most OF the way, but Patterson re-
peatedly refused to desert his comradc
Morning found them still several
miles behind our withdrawing lines. and
the ground over which they had to
trudge was being swept by shell fire
from both sides. in addition to the rifle
fire OF the snipers
The two men. who had been without
rood Tor nearly three days. except for
two biscuits. were forced to shelter In
a shell hole once more. but it was only
shelter in name, for shells were burst
ing over II, and three or four times
shells actually burst In the hole itself
Ora WLED OVER SIIsLL-SwEPr
GROUND TO GET SOME FOOD
L.
terson crawled out across the she'll
swept ground to see If he could obtain
rations from the haversacks OF some
OF our dead lying in the neighborhood
In doing so he was wounded by Il shell
splinter, but managed to crawl back
TO the place where he had left his COM
rade with water and food.
When night fell the two men made
another .cttempt to reach our lines. and
after great suffering they succeeded in
DOING so. The last stage OF their
from snpers. who could make out the
two slowly moving figures in the gray
dawn dawn. a and nd both men were hit again.
Neyertheless. they got into our lines
Ihat the enemy were not able to
make in the Albert region as much
Roadway as they had counted on was
due TO the fact that sergeant OF the
Gordons carried from Mametz village
to Albert. at the risk Of his life. n mes
sage that enabled our troops to stem
the enemy advance at that point
Almost all the way this brave man
was under fire, and part OF the way
was pursued by an enemy patrol, being
wounded IN the right leg. He went OF
in spite of the pain from his wound.
and finally delivered his message
while he was taking It, battalion
or the GordSas were holding at bay
enemy forces five times stronger, and
when the Gordons were finally forced
TO fall back through Mametz village
the countermcasures suggested In the
message taken by the sergeant at the
risk OF his life had been carried OUT.
so the day was saved.
That same battalion Of C;ordons he,o
at bay a brigade OF German Infantry
subsequently. end drove them back
three times from important positions
menacinE our line of retreat in the
Albert region.