PRINCE MAURICE OF BATTENBURG

Grey River Argus, 31 December 1914, Page 8

PRINCE MAURICE OF BATTENBURG

■'■' '-- + '■ HERO OF A GALLANT DEED LONDON Oct. 29. General regret is expressed at the untimely death of Prince^ Maurice of Battenburg- which plunges our own Count, as well as the Court of Spain mto mourning. There are no particulars yet as to the fighting which gave the Prince the. fatal' wound, but Corporal J. Tolley, of the King's Royal Rifles records a gaLlanit act of bravery on the part of the Prince at the beginning of the Battle of the .Marne. The corporal, who is lying wound ed at Newport (Man.), says: — "Instead' of reitiring as we had been doing on September 5, we advanced five miles to Firoy There was very fierce fighting, the German, infantry advancing to within 800 yards of bur artillery, and 1 also in good rifle range. They were practically slaughtered, and hundreds of dead lay everywhere. Early in the morning of the 6th we were up and on the scent, the Guards being the advance guard* for a change. Towards the afternoon they I got in touch with the German rearjruard at a place called by us and the [Germans 'The ' Valley _ of Death.' All the artillery possible was brought on to a ridge overlooking this valley and placed on the enemy, who could not get ouit of it in a hurry, and consequently got many casualties, the Guards capturing 80 men and five [Maxims and; losin gondy 12 men. We I kept on going until we reached the heights overlooking Charly-sur-Marne. Here we took up our post about two miles from the enemy without know ing it. On the morning of the 7th "he King's Royal Rifles were the advance guard. We traversed a wood, '~d foiind^ithat 1 the enemy had' camped on the other side. We could see .the Germans making blockages on the bridge, preparing" to blow it up : but on seeing us they made off, and as we had no artillery with us they got free. The order then came that the bridge must be taken at once. When we goit there we found that the bridge had) three blockages, comprised of carts, furniture, gllass wire,' etc. Prince Maurice of Baittenbury was first man over, searching the house beyond all by himself. This was a brave act for an officer alone. The blockage was (removed, and the battalion got across without a shot beingfired. We went through Charly-sur Marne, and halted about one mile on the other side for four hours, as the French were busy in action and in the end they repulsed 1 the Germans."