THE WAR

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 2576, 6 March 1915, Page 1

THE WAR

PEN PICTURES. STORIES FROM THE FRONT. PIOUPIOUS' FREE RIDE. ■ "Do you speak French, sir? Well, 1 wish you'd explain to. these Johnnies that we want to take 'cm to the Base Commandant, to fix things. You see, we're their prisoners and .they're our prisoners in a way, too. In fact, it's a bally funny go." A big A.S.C. driver, he stood laughing beside a decided novelty-in motor cars. Encased in steel one or two inches thick, warranted to keep out stray shrapnel and rifle bullets, it reminded one of the mediaeval warhorse masked from head to knee against the deadly arrow. The only vulnerable point in this car (which has been brought out by Lord Fitzwilliam for special reconnaissance work) is the little square in front where the driver looks out. Unlike the other armoured cars, it has no apertures at present for quickfirers or rifles.

Only just arrived from England, it had been given a trial run, but afc once of the numerous barricades which block the roads in the war zone the driver'and his companion were challenged. Having no laisser-passer for this car,.they were technically arrested by the French sentinels. The latter proved so dull of comprehension that the men in khaki bundled two of them into the "living room" of the car, rifles and bayonets and all and brought them at a spanking pace to their starting place.

But the French soldiers were far from happy about it, and demanded to be taken to their own commandant. I explained to the gesticulating pioupious that the proper authority iv this matter was the British commandant, and off the four of them drove to his headquarters. % THE GERMAN PRISONERS. He lay in a small ward by himself, with a shattered shoulder. His eyes lit up when a visitor in gentle tones began talking in his native tongue. Near Strasburg he had a little land and one or two cows when war broke out. His wife conducted tho village inn. He had to ojin the colours, and was wounded and captured near Yprcs. ' l<'rom under his pillow he produced a photo of his- wife and boiinie little baby, and the tears welled up as he said that for months he had not had a word from. home, though since he bad been a prisoner iv English hands he had been allowed to write once a week. Another "s*Ceno. An officer of his Imperial Majesty's Prussian Guard, a young man of high connections,, torn 'from the arms of the bride of a fortnight. He had received a dreadful wound* during the great attack of his corps, and had lain for weeks helpless as a baby. Now lie was to be sent to England, and he cowered and clung to the nurses who had tended him. He feared to leave the hospital, feared that his new custodianshad some terrible fate in store for him. What caused this once proud Prussian officer to be so unmanned? Was it some prick of conscience? Perhaps the nurses knew. HIS SECOND GOLD STRIPE. At -tho next table sat a group of French officers of all ranks np to captain. Suddenly two left the room, returning with a bouquet of white flowers, which they presented to a handsome grey-haired, man in the blue uniform of a sous-lieutenant. He embraced the donors each in turn, and then ordered champagne, asking that we, lunching close by—a Hussar, an A.S.C. man, and myself— should join in the toast as faithful Allies. The previous day, as a pleasant surprise, he had been, awarded hi.s second stripe, and his comrades were signalling the event in this charming way. He had taken part in the pursuit of the Germans on the Ma rue, and was now doing courtmartial work. Then an officer produced a violin made of a cigar box and one string, and' played "God Save the King." All sprang to their feet, aud "La Marseillaise" followed, the thin musical string being drowned by the robust seriousness of our voices. THOSE GERMAN HORSES. "Wicked devils, those German horses, sir. Do you know, the other day we were just getting one of them, a big black "chap, out of. the van, when he went for three of us. ''Well, we- got him out all right, when he caught hold of the collar of" an A.V.C. man with his teeth, and gave him a nasty shaking. For a prisoner of war, you sec,, sir, it was absolutely agin rules. So wo didn't give him another chance " "Why? Did you court-martial him?' ,, " "Well, we shot him. They're treacherous, those. Herman horses."