The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-01-06
GAEL AvTRY GIVES
HONOR TO BRITON
Details Of How One Man
Overpowered Eight Huns
Are Received.
GETS HIS REVENGE
Daughter Had Been Crippled
During German Air
Raid on London.

-
With the British Armies in France
Jan. 4.-(Correspondence Of the Asso.
ciated Press).--The full story Of thu
heroism Of q British captain, who wat
SO moved with hatred Of the Germans
for Gripping his ehtld with d btitib
that he attacked ana killed eight OF
them with a club, and withstood sud.
den German onslaught by his inspir-
ing leadership, has just been received
The tale has made the captains Maine
q byword Of gallantry and bravery In
the British camp. Here are the facts:
When the Germans delivered theii
tremendous assault against Masniefes
and Marching during their general Of
fensive on November 80, those two
towns and the territory about them
were being held by division of Eng
1ish troops. On the staff of the COM
manding general there was a dashins
captain who may be designated as
Captain Black for purposes pf.this mar
rative.
: 6woi< Vengeance.
Black was man of long service and
much beloved by All the troops. He
had been a tsvial companion until re-
GENTLY, when during German air raid
ever England his baby girl was Grip
pied for life by a bomb. Black had
become bitter against the Germans
and had sworn that he would exact full
penalty for the airman's deed.
Tue captain little knew when he
turned in on the night of the goth Of
November how soon he would be able
to set his revenge. Next morning the
Gcntmans attacked Masnieres In force
and the brigade to the right Of the
TROOPS holding the town was forced to
fall hack. . The brigade In the town,
however, stood firm and fought the
enemy off. Meanwhile waves Of Ger
mans had swept by to the south Of
tho town and were swarming west
ward.
Attacks With Stick.
Captain Black came out Of his head
quarters south Of Marching to find
five Germans already in possession Of
q great dump nearby. So quickly had
the enemy advanced that this was the
first intimation that they were nearby.
Black had in his hand heavy walking
stick, which was his only weapon.
Without moments hesitation he
charged the dump alone and beat about
him SO fiercely that he Drained all five
opponents before they recovered from
thes surprise, He had made good his
vow, but his work was not finished.
Other Germans appeared west Of Les
Rucs Verts, a southern suburb of Mas
niercs. Black collected all the signal
lcrs, cooks. orderlies and other servants
available. and with two companies Of
regulars delivered an attack towards
Rues Vertes. The Germans fell back
and fierce hand Ito hand fighting fol-
lowed. 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 Machine Gun.
Black charged this machine gun with
one orderly. Four other brave order
lies 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 re-
vOlver in each hand and shot down the
last man OF eight. This cleared Rues
Vertes of the enemy and outposts were
established about the place. Black had
been wounded during the fighting. but
he held on to his command until relief
came next day.
This story Is not the only one to be
related OF that bitter day about Mas
niercs. A regiment which had the
stiffest part OF the fighting in the town
was made up Of troops known as die
hards," and they fought all day with
rifles and bayonets at close quarters
and never gave a step in the face Of
a great onslaught made against them.
During the fighting the colonel had
been wounded In one eye and 30 Sc
rious was his injury that his other eye
became useless. His troops continued
to be SO hard pressed that it seemed
probable they would give way.
The colonel knew they needed all
the encouragement possible to enable
them to bear the awful strain. He
called for AN orderly, and led by his
servant he started. making a round of
the front line to speak words of en-
Couragement to his troops. For hours
this blind man with bandaged eyes
kept up his tramp among his men with
his hand in that of the orderly. who was
his only guide. This heroic example
was the final word for the Tommies.
They loved their colonel and they
stood and died for him and held their
line.
Masnieres produced another thrilling
inci0cnt next day. The Germans re-
newed their attack and came down in
waves. Their assault at the crossing at
the canal bank was particularly fierce