SCOTTISH SERGEANT'S EXPLOIT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 42, 13 November 1917, Page 5

SCOTTISH SERGEANT'S EXPLOIT

GERMANS SNIPE THEIR OWN WOUNDED. I havo just heard of an exploit which took place during tho fighting along tho Westhoek Ridge which admirably illustrates the spirit of our men (says Pentor's special correspondent). A sergeant of the' King's Own Scottish Borderers, whose previous record is eloquently written upon his sleeve in tho form of fivo wound stripes, went forward alono to reconnoitre a concreted machine-gun post which had given a lot of tronblo. After a considerable timo he reappeared laboriously carrying two machine-guns, ono under each arm, and followed by a wholo garrison of tho nlnco as prisoners, consisting of one oilicnr ond thirtysix other ranks. He explained tlmt there remained four moro machine-gnna in tho place, which our men could either destroy or use when they got it, but that lie did not liko to como back without some trophies.

Tho Germans in somo places loavo their wounded lying out in No Miin's Land for days and niplita on end. Our stretcher parties Tinvo brought: in many of them, mid aomo of those wounded men tell ugly tales of having been shot at by their own snipers, apparently with tlin idea that they shall not /nil into our hands alive. In several ruses of Into, when ow* men have trone forward. Hermans holdin? shell hole" hnve stealthily crept out and watched their opportunity fo fall in and <ro across with (hem. trusting to the smolce and confusion to refrain their own lines rather thnn slon and lijht wh'or" Ihev lmv« been posted. Thoio is an douM Hint the nresnrf; form of isolated defence by smnll parties in putting a heavy ordeal upon the morale erf Iho Gfcrman troops,