Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-31
BY BENNETT j. DOTY.


BY BENNETT j. DOTY.
Written exclusively for The. Star and
North American Newspaper Alliance.
Coming back from the mountains.
there is narrow pass between
Sueida and the village of Razzas. At
noon one blistering day. while our col
umn was crowded into it. the Druse
jumped us on both sides.
Unlike the rest of the country, this
has no rocks. There was nothing
to shelter behind. The pass was
welter Of balky camels, tangled con-
voy. kicking mules and sweating men.
The Legion was protecting the right
flank. and part of it the right rear.
We were spread out along the ground
with orders to hold off the Druse until
the column had a chance to untangle
itself and reform.
Friend Is Killed.
A good Legionnaire friend Of mine,
Brixie, an Austrian. was lying on my
left. The adjutant-chef noticed Brixie
wasn't firing. Poor. Brixie had
habit Of sleeping on every possible
occasion.
What's the matter with Brixie?"
called the adjutantchef, rs he
asleep"
No answer from Brixie.
Glare" said the adjutant chef Il
had enlisted as Gilbert Clare). 'see
why Brixie doesn't shoot"
put my hand over and gave him
a shove. withdrew 1t. 1t was Gov.
cred with blood. / crawled over TO
see what had happened to Brixie. A
Druse bullet had passed through his
throat, severing his jugular vein. He
was dead.
The Druse charged us, throwing
rife grenades and shooting madly at
close quarters. The 18th. in the rear,
got the worst of the fighting. My
didn't have to resort to the
got busy with that long, wicked
French toad-sticker that the Druse
quit his rushing attack.
The Druse didn't withhold his FIRE.
though. In this exposed country 1t
was deadly. The 18th Company was
badly cut up. One Of them told me
afterward they lost half their men.
The engagement lasted an hour and a
half.
Column IL Broken.
Meanwhile the main column had got
far ahead OF us. and there was a big
gap between the Legion and the rest
Of the troops. The Druse poured in
at this point and we were in great
danger OF being cut of and annihi-
lated.
Lieut.. Vernon sent me TO the rear
to bring up a machine gun lieutenant
and his crew 10 cover us at this point.
| got up TO run down the slope. and
drew Druse bullets like a magnet
II was about 900 yards TO the ma
chine gun. III bet / made IL In moth.
ing fiat. Bullets were kicking up the
dust all around me.
| got the machine gun lieutenant.
delivered my orders and we started
back. We had almost reached Lieut.
Vernon when a Druse bullet got him
In the ankle.
Nom de Dieur' he exclaimed. And
he hoped OFF for the ambulance.
AT this point. up came q liaison of.
fcer with orders for US TO aba ndon
the position and move up. We didn't
need any second order. With the 18th
covering US. We moved up and Joined
the column. Once we were through
The pass and on the open plain. where
the machine guns could do their
stun. the Druse left US alone.
That night. as a reward for our
work during the day. We were allowed
to sleep In the exact center OF the
camp. This let all of us get a decen,
nights sleep without fear OF attack.
The next day Gen. Gamelin cited us
IN orders. That was one of two eta.
ions we got for our work in Syria.
Rest Period In Short.
After Razzas We returned to the
raflhead at GazAIie For, about a
week we were busy munitioning posts
and in similar work. Orders then
came through moving US to Damascus
Tor rest. After four.hou trip on
the train We marched into barracks.
much TO everybody's relief.
But We weren't 10 have much rest
In Damascus. We had barely received
endorsements and got ourselves into
first-class fighting shape. when the
Druse in THE Gardens" as the olive
groves and orchards surrounding the
city are called. rose again. We were
Kept on the jump. queliing them at
one point or another.
II vas east side. west side, all
around the town. Grenades, rifles,
bombs. machine guns and artillery day
and night. In the daytime we would
he moved out 10 some point In the
10 be fired on by an invisible
enemy. and Withdrawn TO the city at
night.
We had this well up until the end
OF November Then we were sent TO
Lebanon to take Hasbaya. a fortified
village in the vicinity OF the biblical
Mount Herman. Iiasbaya was a nice
little place with barbed wire enta ngle
ments. machine guns and all modern
We had three days or
80 OF hghting and q few losses before
the Druse surrendered We had too
many men for him and our airplanes
made life miserable for the defenders.
'CoDyrisht 1877 In all countries nv North
American Newspaper Aiiiancel
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