American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1919-01-24

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 honornbly
discharged from that branch OF the
service. Being a soldier Of fortune
Hollernn refused ito be dumped on
the army scrap heap" as he ex-
pressed II.
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 a lieu
tenant, captain and flight commander.
Some climb for n fellow with wooden
feet, but not surprising II you knew
Hclleran. He had all sorts Of thrills
and adventures, and then one day
but ] am getting ahead Of my story.
Better let Capt. 10. @. Lowry tell
II as he told 1t TO me on a rainy
night while / 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 no
itrst had the case of Owen Cobb Hol-
lernn called TO his attention, Captain
LOwry's home also Ia In Atlanta.
Stranger Than Fiction.
There Is material for n book In
H%olleran's experience" said Captain
TaUupv ttG4rou0or tAaA AattAa In
spots. His papers came TO me at the
embassy and he has kept up a corre-
spondence. There Is a lot In the
chap. He Is ms clever and brave as they
make them. He was employed as a
clerk in the Office OF the Southern
Bell Telephone company In Atlanta.
Like many other young Americans he
wanted to see the great war. II 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 800 between
them for the big adventure. They
went to New York and tried to enlist
In the British army, but the consul
said he couldn't enroll Americans,
"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
sob. Reaching London. they were ac-
cepted at a recruiting station In Scot
land Yard. The recruiting ~sergean,
wanted to know what branch of the
service they preferred. Holleran re.
piled No choice. Just as soon serve
in one branch ms the other. My only
request ia that you send us TO a warm
climate. I came from the South and
1 Ike II hot
~'You ran get II hot enough at any
part OF the 'front.' replied the ser
geant. i see your point, lad, and
we'll see what can be done. With a
name like yours / think an Irish out
nj is the place for you Holleran was
assigned TO the Dublin Fusileers. His
friend Gray went TO the same rcgi.
ment. In a few months Holleran's
regiment was sent TO Galiipoll. He
served through that campaign and saw
hard fighting. The regiment went
with other British units to Egypt ia
he RENTED after the Gallipoli scrap,
Feet Badly Frozen.
"Next Holleran went with the Dub
lin Fusileers into Serbia with the frs,
allied expedition. In the mountains
many of the soldiers suffered from
frosen feet apd hands. Holleran's
feet were badly frozen, and he told
me with a grin that he couldn't helr
seeing the funny side OF II after hav'
Ing asked to be sent to a hot place.
~Rate began 10 extend n helping
hand to Holleran away out there. At
tached to the British field hospital In
Serbia were two American surgeons
one from Georgia and the other from
South Carolina. Learning that Hol
leran hailed from Atlanta. they tool
special interest In him. They die
everything possible to save his feet
hut, later. to avoid more serious com
pltcatiOns and poosthay death. they
amputated part Of each foot.
~Holleran returned to England