The Benson signal. [volume] (Benson, Cochise County, Ariz.) 1915-1921, 1918-12-28
AMERICAN HERO, DESPITE LOSS OF
FEET, QUALITIES AS AN A|RMAN
Atlanta Man Fought With Dublin Fuseers Until nred-Laer He
Was Made Flight Commander in the British Air
Service and Was Going Big Until He Was
Captured by the Huns

With American Army in France
Loss of one foot and part of the 9TH
er did not end the fighting career of
Owen Cobb Holleran of Atlanta, Ga.
A man with artificial feet is unfit for
infantry duty, so Owen was honOrably
discharged from that branch of the
service. Being a soldier of fortune
Holleran refused ''tO be dumped on
the army scrap heap" as he ex-
pressed it.
In spite of his physical handicap he
wormed his way into the British air
service, won a pilots license, operat-
ing a type of plane that did not re-
quire foot manipulation, became lieu
tenant, captain and fight commander.
Some climb for fellow with wooden
feet, but not surprising il you knew
HolIeran. He had all sorts of thrills
and adventures, and then one day
but I am getting ahead of my story.
Better let Capt e. G. Lowry tell
it ~as he told it to me on a rainy
night while I was with the British
army. He was attached to the Amer
lean embassy in London before enter
ing the United States army. 1t was
while at the London embassy that he
first had the case of Owen Cobb Hol-
leran called to his attention. Captain
Lowry's home also is in Atlanta.
Stranger Than Fiction.
''There is material for book in
Holierans experience" said Captain
Lowry. stranger than fiction in
spots. His papers came to me at the
embassy and he has kept up CORE
spondence There is a lot in the
chap He is as clever and brave as they
make. them. He was employed as n
clerk in the office of the Southern
Bell Telephone company in Atlanta.
Like many other young Americans he
wanted to see the great war. 1t got
into his blood long before our coun-
try was involved. In 1915 he started
out from Atlanta with a friend named
Gray. They had just 500 between
them for the big adventure. They
went to New York and tried to enlist
said he couldn't enroll Americans.
From a crossing policeman they
learned that cattle boat was to sail
next day. They decided to work their
passage. They applied and got the
job Reaching London, they were ac-
cepted at a recruiting station in Scot
land Yard. The recruiting sergeant
wanted to know what branch of the
service they preferred. Holleran re-
piled: No choice. Just as soon serve
in one branch as the other. My only
request is that you send us to a warm
climate. came from the South and
! like it hot
You can get it hot enough at any
part of the 'front.' replied the SER
geant. 4 see your point, lad, and
Wen see what can be done. With a
name like yours I think an Irish out
fit is the place for you Holleran was
assigned to the Dublin Fusileers. His
friend Gray went to the same regi-
ment. In a few months Holleran's
regiment was sent to GallipOli. He
served through that campaign and saw
hard fighting. The regiment went
with other British units to Egypt to
be refitted after the GallipOli scrap.
Feet Badly Frozen.
Next Holleran went with the Dub
lin Fusileers into Serbia with the first
allied expedition. In the mountains
many of the soldiers suffered from
frozen feet and hands. HOlleran's
feet were badly frozen. and he told
me with grin that he couldn't help
seeing the funny side of it after hav-
ing asked to be sent to hot place.
Fate began to extend a helping
hand to Holleran away out there. At
tachea to the British field hospital in
Serbia were two American surgeons,
one from Georgia and the other from
South Carolina Learning that Hol-
1eran hailed from Atlanta, they took
special interest in him. They did
everything possible to save his feet,
but, later, to avoid more serious COM
piications and possibly death, they
Rmputated part of each foot.
"Holleran returned to England.