The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1919-01-10
=e.1 HERO, DESPITE Loss
oF FEET, QUALITIES a. ~
I'm

A. Man Fought WIN
Itlsn 1aosrs Until Injured-Later ~
Eash1 Made o Flight Commander III
VI. ns1 british Air Service and was 10
me me Big Until He Was Captured %
the Huns
o-;can Army in France
With a ane foot and part OF the otn,
Loss OF On and the fighting career o.
er did mo- Holleran Of Atlanta, Ga
A man duty, so owen was honorary OF -
infah MARRIED from that brancn Oh tne
discnars0RT eing a soldier of fortune
service, refused ito be dumped on
Holler@r scrap heap" as he express
cd IT, =. bis rhysical handicap
III ormed his way into the 6rltlsn
be VIII Voice won a pilots license op.
air So type of plane that did NOT
eraIs 5uo foot manipulation, became q
reqalL nant captain and flight com
lieutenan'cs Come climb for a fellow
-r;tb wooden IeeI, Jul ~
WIN tnew Holleran. He had all
s # thrills and adventures, ano
EII' oUa day-but 7 am getting aneao
Of n my let Capt. E. G. Lowry tell
D 10 told it to me on a rainy
l, II a' while I was with the British
n Lar He was attached to the Amer
army arm embassy in London before enter
icah 4ho limited States army. 1t was
my ~ st the London embassy that ne
WIN bod the case of Owen Cobb Hol-
MIS- Mr., called to his attention. Captain
lel@n u,s home also is in Atlanta.
"Tbnre is material for a book IN
11o,Iaran's experience" said Captain
h Hull stranger than fiction in
l Int" His papers came to me at the
sp ,hoscv and he has kept up a CORE
sn There is a lot in the
.bsn He is as clever and brave as
tbor , make them He was employed
o ,,o clerk in the office of the South
o-n ReIl Telephone company in At
Ianta Like many other young Amer
Toms he wanted to see the great war.
II got into his blood long before our
oonntrv was involved. In 1915 he
stortpd ont from Atlanta with a friend
named Gray. They had just 500
between them for the big adventure.
Tbov went TO New York and tried to
enlist in the British army, but the
consul said he couldn't enroll Amer
leans.
From a crossing policeman they
learned that a cattle boat was to sail
next day. They decided to work
their passage. They applied and got
the lob. Reaching London, they were
accepted at a recruiting station in
Scotland Yard. The recruiting ser
geant wanted to know what branch
Of the service they preferred. Holl-
eran replied: No choice. Just as
soon serve in one branch as the other.
ny emily request is that you send us
to warm climate. | came from the
South and ! like it hot
"YOu can get it hot enough at any
port of the 'front.' replied the ser
geant. I see your point, lad, and
wen see what can be done. With
name like yours l think an Irish
outfit is the place for you Holleran
was assigned to the Dublin Fusfleers.
His friend Gray went to the same
regiment. In few months Holler-
ans 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 CALI
poll scrap.
Next Holleran went with the Dub
lin Fusileers into Serbia with the
6rst allied expedition. In the noun
tains many of the soldiers suffered
from frozen feet and hands. Holler-
ans feet were badly frozen, and he
told me with a grin that he couldn't
help seeing the funny side of it after
having asked to be sent to a hot
place
Fate began to extend a helping
hand to Holleran away out there.
Attached to the British field hospital
IN Serbia we're two American sur
geons, one from Georgia and the
other from South Carolina. Learning
that Holleran hailed from Atlanta,
they took special interest in him.
They did everything possible to save
mis- feet, but, later, to aviod more
serious complications and possibly
DEATH they amputated part of each
foot.
"Holleran returned to England,
Dhghty. He was at Cliveden hos
pltal, maintained by Mrs. Aston. He
vas fitted out with artificial feet
mere When it came time to think
ABOUT sending Holleran back to the
natSg the case was referred to me.
But owen Cobb Holleran did not in
lend to go home. He said anyb 10y
VINO thought his fighting days were
v'er just because he had game feet
lad another guess.
lie said he had read about a new
ype OF airplane while at the hospi-
al 1t was operated entirely by
aano levers, which fact gave him an
aSplratlon. He said he had given
.le matter much thought ON his cot
auu while summing himself in a wheel
oaalr' He had finally resolved to be-
Dome an aviator and he felt confident
ne could make good.
inc next thing I heard about Hol-
- iran ne was full-fedged flyer in
@e British air force. He made good
rum the start. One day very
urge and oficial-looking envelope
1913 le 10 me. 1t contained the honor
a A. discharge Of Owen Cobb Holler-
~ iron the Dublin Fusileers. 1t had
NJ 49, sent by the colonel of the regi-
,Sa' who wrote very flatteringly
s soo the young American. / hadn't
MI NJ or heard from Holleran for
~ l p. l finally learned the location
ARM -" squadron and forwarded the
army certificate.
A few days later I received a
NACCElul letter thnR6fN- r.n r-a p