HIGHLAND SERGEANT'S FIGHT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 227, 13 June 1918, Page 6

HIGHLAND SERGEANT'S FIGHT

As to the keenness our men show in the field, instances accumulate to an extent which embarrasses me (writes Hamilton Pyfe, the famous war cbrr* epondeiit, in describing incidents of the great German offensive of March). I should like to give them all, but the paper controller would interfere. 1 must therefore pick out a few "f the best. For steadiness of nerve and determination to kill Germans I have not heard anything to beat the record of the Highlander sergeant who litd a machine-gun detachment in ft famous Scottish division. Tho enemy having penetrated into our trench system, tho sergeant \ sed his knowledge of its geography to take up a position with his gun whence he could enfilade over a thousand yards of trench. He let tho Germans got in and then started on them. 'J'liey tried _ many times to get through his deadly tiro, but found it impossible. They wore getting through,- however, at other places, and before long the sergeant found that they were between his detachmont and tho body of our forces. For a while he kept firing as before. Then he turned his dotachment round, peppered the Germans who had got rouud his flank, and by alternately running and firing got his men safely through. Another lot of machine-gunners, cyclists this time. were.separated from their division and spent two days on their own, fighting all tho time without any rations. At last they too fought their war back.

Then there is the story cf the Australian tunnelling officer ivlio was told off to blow up bridges and culverts in order to make lite German advance more difficult He made up his mihd that ho would not have any ciplosijn that did not kill Germans. Ho wailed every time until at least one or two. of the enemy sot on tn the" doomed spots before lie cave the word for the charge to be fired. Of course there was danger in this, but ho always managed to bring it off and to make good his escape in tho confusion following the explosion.