MARINES DEFIED

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 124, 21 February 1944, Page 5

MARINES DEFIED

Boys’ Escapade In Welsh Mountains (Received February 20, 9.30 p.m.) ' LONDON, February 20. Three boys aged between 12 and 14, armed with three rifles and 400 rounds of ammunition, defied a platoon of 36 marines led by two subalterns for two days and one night in the Welsh mountains. The boys broke into the armoury of a marines’ camp near Barmouth last Thursday and took rifles and ammunition. The brigadier’s batman chased the boys, but when bullets began to whizz round his head, he decided to seek the aid of-the regimental police. They also retired in the face of rifle fire. When the fire brigade was called it was unable to do anything. The boys, after shooting two fowls belonging to a local farmer, dug themselves in in a disused mountain main. Marines tracked down the boys on Friday, when a spectacular battle began. The boys fired leal ammunition and the marines blanks, ihe marines eventually retreated and took cover. A subaltern sent for aid from his captain, but the boys at this poiut found their ammunition running low and flew a white flag. They were surrounded and marched away under a strong escort oi marines.