Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-07
HE KILLS GERMANS WITH
CLUB FOR MANNING BABY
Brave British Captain Has Quick
Revenge for Hun Air
mans Act.
SOME THRILLING INCIDENTS
Masnicres Is Scene OF Bitter Trauc.
dies, but They Show Keen Fight
ing Spirit of English Tommy
When Hard Pressed.
Tccrrespnnd, nee Of Asso. E.tcd rrr-.
AAl,rII .l'III' 1,ItI,cIcII

rcnrresrondcnce NJ Asso' E,tcd rrc>.l
WITH THE BRITtSli ARMIES rs
FRANCE, December ?.-Tho complete
story OF the hcroism Of British can
tain who Was 50 moved with hatred
cf tho Germans for Gripping his child
with 4 bomb that he attacked and
killed eight or them with a club and
w!thstood sudden German onslaught
by his inspiring leadership. has Just
been received Tho tale has made tho
captains naInc IA byv"ord Of Sallan,rv
and bravery III tho British camp. Hero
arc tho facts:
When tho Germans delivered their
tremendous assault against MasnIcres
and MARCHING during their general Of
fcnsirc on November so those tw,,
towns and the territory about them
were bcin. held b" Il division OF Eng
! lish troops. ON the staff Of the CON-
handing general. there was a dasAius
captain VINO may be designated as cap
thin Black, for purposes OF this nara.
tive.
Black was man OF long service and
much beloved by all the troops lie
had been a jovial compa Mon un,il re-
Y
over England. his baby girl was Grip
Fled for life by a bomb Black had
become bitter against the Germans and
had sworn that he would exact fun
penalty for the airman's deed.
The captain little knew when he
4 turned in on the night of November
! % how soon nc would be able 10 got
! his revenge. Next morning the Ger
mans attacked Masnieres in force. and
the brigade 10 the right OF the troops
holding the town was forced TO fall
back. The brigade in the town, how
( ever, stood firm and fought the enemy
( off. Meanwhile, waves of Germans had
swept by TO tho south of the town and
were swarming westward.
MAKES GOOD HIS VOW
Bl FEELING FIVE IrNS
Captain Black came out Of his head
quarters south OF Marcoins to md five
! Germans already in possession Of 4
great dump nearby. So quickly had
/ the enemy advanced that this was the
i.rst intima,ion that they were near.
by. Biacn nad in hts hand Il heavy
walking stick. which was his only
weapon. Without a moments ncsita-
tion, he charged ;hc dump alone ard
beat about him so ilerccly that he
Drained al! five opponents before they
recovered from tho surprise. He had
made good his vow, but his worl, was
not finished.
other Germans appeared west or Les
Hles Ncrts, :. southern suburb Of LAS
I n!e!sS. Black collected all Tho sig
ralers. cooks, ordcrlies and other SER
wants available, and with twc COM
panics OF regulars delivered an attach;
towa'da Eucs Ncrtes. Tho Germans
Tell back and fierce nd-to-hanG Gsn,-
ing followed Black led his little army
from house 10 house. and rs ofte.. as
ihe Germans made a stand he drove
them out. Until finally the whole suburb
had Decn cleared with the exception
OF ono machine gun. whose crew Of
HiSht men KEEP, pumping bullets into
the British ranks.
. Black charged this machine en-,
with one orderly. -Four other brave
ordcrlics had been shot down beside
Him previously, and this one also WA.
caught as the machine gun was relch.d
h!aeE then attacked The Germans with
revolver III each hand. and shot down
the last man OF eight This cleared
itues Nertcs OF the enemy and out
posts were established about the place.
Hlack had been wounded during the
hshtins. but he held on 10 his command
until relief came next day.
This story i not the only one 10
30 related Of that bitter day about
MaSnieres. y res iment which had the
stiuest part OF the lighting i'm the
town was made UP OF troops known as
die-hards.' and they fought All day
with rifles and bayonets at close quar-
ttrs. and never gave a step in the face
OF great onslaught made against
them. During tho lighting the colonel
had been wounded in ono eve and SO
serious was his Injury that his othc.
eye became useless His troops con-
iinued 10 he 50 hard pressed that il
seemed probable they would give way
The colonel knew they needed ALL tho
cncouraGcmcnt possible to enable them
10 bear the cwful strain. lie called
for an orderly. and. led by his servant.
he started making round Of the
front line 10 speak words Of encourage
mcnt 20 his troops. For hours this
blind man With bandaScd eyes kent
up his tramp among his mon with his
hand i'm that or tho ORDERLY. who was
his only guide. This heroic example
was the Inal word for the Tomm!cs.
They loved their colonel. and1hey stood
and died for him and held their line.
MasniercS produced another thrilling
incident next day The Germans re-
ncwcd their attack and came down i'm
waves. Their assault Mt the crossing
at The canal bank was particularly
fierce. aud the British. after sustaining
tho shock FOR some time. began TO
Wavcr asd the general rushed to the
SPOT. lie took stand in the midst OF
his troops and rallied them about him
along the bank He spoke to them
with assurance and pleaded that they
he calm. The Germans were sending
. forward another great wave Of in
fantry.
II way then that the general uncon-
SciouSly echoed words of the famous
order ISSUED by an American general
at the battle of Bunker Hill--"Stcady
men. steady DO not fire until you sec
the whites Of their eyes" The cross
ing was held and the Germans driven
back.
Many Have TubcrcuIosis.
MACON, GA, January 6-AnproSf-