Putnam patriot., 1924-08-15
TWENTY-SK YEARS
 IN ENGLISH ARMY
Henry McFall, Putnam Resi. dent, Has Seen Hard Ser
 vice
In Indian Campaign, Boer War, and
 World War

world War
 :. After spending twenty-six years. the best of his life. in the service of the English government as soldier. ! Henry MeFall was honorably dis charged from service following the World War, and now makes his home in Putnam. He has seen service in India, where the temperature was i40, land one hardly dared move out of the shade for fear of sunstroke, in Egypt, in South Africa, in Ireland, and in England.
 As boy of twenty he first enlisted in 1882 from his home town, Belfast. Joining the 18th Royal Irish Regi- ment of Infantry. His first service was in Malta, where he was located for ten months. Following service there his unit was sent to India. While in India the regiment was one lof several ordered to the relief of General Gordon at Khartoum, Egypt. The British military authorities offer ed a prize for the first regiment to reach Cartoon, though the regiment lof which McFall was 8 member was the last to leave, it was the first to arrive at the Egyptian city, but was too late. since Gordon had been killed already by the natives. Gordon, fa- nous general, had no troops with him. but was endeavoring to conquer the savage tribes by preaching relig- ion to them. The prize of 1000 pounds and a miniature silver ship was giv- en the regiment. The money was di- vided equally among the soldiers and the ship kept for a decoration for the officers quarters.
 Goes 10 India
 Part of MeFall,s service in India was under Lord Roberts in the In- dian frontier campaign. which lasted for q year and a half. There was some tough fighting in this campaign, fought for the most part in the Him. alaya mountains.
 McFall talked considerably of the battle at Buckroy, where his buddy placed only five feet from himself was killed. Al this place the British troops were ambushed by a much larger force of natives, and only achieved a victory when the infantry men lay down and the several artil- Iery pieces in their rear fired into the dark men who were in close order for .matiun. After serving twelve years in these two campaigns he returned to Ireland and engaged in civil pur- suits for six years until the BOer war broke out in South Africa, when he volunteered for service there.
 The Boer conflict was series of hard forced marches. guerilla battles, and many hardships. Often 1t was impossible to obtain food and water, the latter since the Boers poisoned the well water as they retreated.
 At the battle of Colonzo, two of the British guns were taken by the Boers. Captain Roberts. son of Gen eral Roberts of Indian campaign fame, went out onto the field alone. killed several of the natives, and was bringing one of the guns back when he was struck by a bullet and killed. Mcfaii was intimately acquainted with Captain Roberts.
 In Many Battles
 MeFall was a participant in all of the big battles of the war, and read fly recalled experiences in some of them. Following his service in South Africa he returned to Ireland and was stationed at forts there for several years, after which he was engaged in peace time pursuits until the outbreak lof the World War. He was then fif- lty-four years old. and because of the hard service which he had already ex- lperienced. McFall was hardly fit for service in France. He told the doctor in Ireland who examined him that he was thirty years old, and the doctor let him by, though II Is not known whether or not he believed what was told him. But another physician in England couldn't be fooled that eas- | fly, and furthermore assigned McFall to home duty. declaring that he was not physically fit to go to France. | Consequently his station during the whole of the war was at the Woolage arsenal in England This arsenal was one of the favorite spots for the German air raiders, and very often on Sunday morning. always on Sun day. they lowered over the arsenal and dropped bombs. l Shortly after the close of the war McFall came to America. landing in New York, and coming directly to | Putnam, where he had relatives. He | has lived here ever since. He came | to Putnam at the same time as the | big January snow storm, and due to a slight illness was confined to his home for several weeks, and looking out of the window at the mountains of snow often wished to be back in i Ireland.
 Was Never Wounded
 During his twenty-six years of ser vice Mir. McFall was never wounded, and was i'll only once, for a three week period while in India service. He seemed 10 prefer the old time method of fighting, "when they had none of this mustard gas, or bombs that you throw" but simply shot balls at each other. He described the rife bullets used in the time of the Indian campaign "as big round shots that would make hole as big as your fist | if they struck you"
 | The present Putnam man was very well acquainted with some of the mil itary leaders of his time, especially Lord Roberts, at whose home he was once the guest. Lord Roberts son, later Captain Roberts. as a boy used to sit among the soldiers in church every Sunday, rather than with his father and mother. and was q great favorite with the men.
 Other generals with whom he was lacouainted were Generals Woolsley, Wbffa pobprts Leach Bush, and