FOUGHT TO THE DEATH.

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 3337, 5 September 1917, Page 2

FOUGHT TO THE DEATH.

HOW A CONSCIENTIOUS OBJEC-

TOR DIED

A story of splendid heroism, crowned by the supreme sacrifice of three men of the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, is told by a corporal of that regiment. "This war had produced many incidents of self-sacrifice calculated to bring words of praise to the lips of the most cynical and tears to the eyes of the most unfeeling. Nothing I know of. and I have been in it since Mons, can be compared to the heroism of three privates of my battalion, whose names may not be disclosed at present. "These men were from Bradford. Up till quite recently they had been employed in a ifactory, and all three were conscripts.' Qne had tried t*> 'gelexemption as a conscientious objeptqr and failed. ' We had been pressing Fritz hard, and all seemed to he going well until a sudden return thri^st , of the Huns 'forced us back, and' left these three chaps qri the|r own '|n' eneijjy which had be^n'pre r parecj for'rough, worl*. ' These twee chaps were properly Jienimec} in, yfiik no chance of escape, They were palled on to surrender. They refueecjr The Huns tried to rush the dug-out, but the three Bradford men stood up to then Hun hordes and fought their corner in a way that put the fear of God into the hearts of the Fritzies.

"The Germans rained torrents of bombs and bullets on the dugout, and it was verj 7 quickly made useless as a shelter. One of the Bradford men was : killed outright by falling wreckage, ' and the two others were wounded. (They collected the bombs got ready by their dead comrade, and behind a mass of wreckage-they fought on. Every time the Huns tried to rush the position they were driven back by the bombs thrown by these two heroes. Meanwhile Our troops had had time to rally.'■thanks' to the , way ' iri which these heroes had held up the enemy 5 , and by means of the telephone instrument' which had beeii installet? after our first occupation of the , dugout, in message was 1 sect lo the t\v6 burVfyoro that if they equld , only hold out s for" another half-hour relief would be 'aj> hand.' l

'■jt was touch and go. Tfoere were only ivbout twenty rounds of aminuni'tion arid three bombs left, and the Germans were now'spraying the wrec* ked"Uug-out with machine-fire prior to rushing it once more. The two heroes felt that to stay meant certain death, but they decided to risk it, and awaited the new onslaught. The enemy poured liquid fire, and the two men were scalded. On their knees they continued the fight. The enemy approached nearer and nearer, and finally rushed the place, killing the two heroes. Their sacrifice, however, had not been in vain, for our troops were again carrying all before them, and the foe were ming back." |. . ,