"DON'T MIND ME!"

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 24, 23 October 1917, Page 6

"DON'T MIND ME!"

STIRRING STORY OF A FRENCH SOLDIER'S TACT

A DOUBLE DISTINCTION

Mr. H. Wood, tho 6pecial correspondent of the United Press Association with tho French armies, says; Knighthood in the lioyal Order of i-he Crown of Italy has just been winferrjd by King Victor Emmanuel on Wurgis Guildbnrd,

a simple French soldier at the French front, who before tho war was an.oven more prosaic "drummer" for a wholesale grocery house. Ono of King Victor's hobbies since the beginning of tho war has been the seeking out and rewarding of real deeds of knighthood amongst tho soldiers not only of his own, but of the Allied armies. In conferring tho Cross of a Chevalier n? the Order of the Crown rf Italy on Guilbard, King Victor dubbed him a second "Chevalier d'Assas." Caught in a night ambush, and knowing I hat unless tho alarm was given other French soldiers would also be captured, Guilbard unhesitatingly called out lo !■ is men to fire directly on to his captors, although well knowing, like the Knight of Assas of old, that the bullet 3 must almost inevitably kill himself as well. In tiie vicinity of Coney lo Chateau, especially in the heavy forests that surround tho historic place, r ew trenches exist, and the German and French lines are by no means definitely established positions. Rather they consist of a large intervening space of forest ravines, hillsides, and other obstacle where each side, places sentinels and advance posts and sends patrols and scouting parties \ery much as in old-time warfare. Well towards morning on the night ot July 27 Guilbard, accompanied by. some of his men, penetrated into the region ot tho German advance posts for the purpose of placing his own sentinels and advance guards for tho day that would soon break. After installing his sentinels in some houses that still remained intact,_ Gmtbard pushed still further forward in tho search of suitable places for his advance posts. Two of these wero finally placed, and with the remainder, a soldier named Yoidier, who was trailing along under cover of the darkness and brushwood some fifteen yards behind. Guildbard was still pushing forward when he found himself suddenly surrounded and seized in tho darkness by a German patrol, who, pinning his arms behind and presenting a rovolvor to liis face, declared that* ho would be shot at the first alarm or outcry. , Realising instantly that German patrols were already in possession of the ground where he had posted his sentinels ;U'd his advanco guards, and that unless warnod tliev must inevitably bo captured like himself, Guilbard by a supremo effort broke loose and fired his revolver. Then without an instant s hesitation, still closely surrounded by tho Gonnaus, he shouted to Voidier, Fire into the pack, Voidier! Don t mind me; shoot to kill!" ■ VoiiiTSr leaped forward, but before firing into tho Germans a bnllet that might kill hiseomrade, fired ono shot into tho air. It proved effective. Idealising >tl\ey twere discovered, and the French soldiers were close at hand, the Germans with curses fell back into the darkness, tho last, ono thrusting his gun into Guilbar<l's face. Gnilbard seized the barrel, and succeeded in turning it aside, tho bullet tearing away part of one thumb and grazing hi 3 chest. With the alarm that had been given, the entire German patrol that had been stationed earlier m the night for the purpose of ambushing the French, beat a discreet retreat, and Guilbavd's eentinels and advance posts remained masters of the situation; Simultaneously* with the Cross of the Order of tho Crown of Italy received from King Peter Emmanuel, Guilbard received from tho French Government the Medaillo Militaire.