COST OF HIS LIFE

Hokitika Guardian, 7 January 1933, Page 6

COST OF HIS LIFE

BOY- WHO WON THE V.C. YOUNG SOLDIER’S DREAM. A. remarkable s tory of a young bo j under his command who played a ‘ovu derful part in thy greatest battle ii j history” and wan awarded the V.C posthumously, was told by Major-Get. oral 'Seely at a dinner of the Authors 1 ‘Club in London, a few weeks ago. j The.boy was Lieutenant Flower-lew .of the Royal Canadians, sou of a: Eastern counties’, parson, whose gloriov, part in the decisive battle at Alurra; (Ridge in tie; course of th e last groa German offensive in the closing month of th P war “possibly deflected th< whole course of history.” General Seely, who \va,-, in common: of the Canadians in this battle, tolc I the story'in a choking voice, and it her. I he finished he a'most collapsed in hie chair. He. began by reading the diary of the boy, written in simple, almost boyish language. He called it ‘‘The Diary of a Gentleman at War.” “The Germans had won the war completely, definitely, and finally on March 50. 1918. but did not know it, - ’ he said. “I think when the true history of the war is recorded, and it very «oon will be, everybody will agree that this fact is true.” “A TYPICAL ENGLISH BOY.” The diary was- one of a fair-ha l red boy who played a part so decisive that if Marshal Fochi’s words were true it was quite possible that this gentle, dreamy boy did deflect the whole c°urs t of history. He uvas of middle height., athletic, charming—a typical .English boy who had joined the Royal Canadians. He went out with the first contingent and came under General 'Seely's command. General See’ly told how in a conversation with tho youth he asked him if he would like to get the V.C. The boy replied : “That is my dream, but 1 .shall .never be brave enough to win it.” General Seely continued: “I ran fordiary until he reached March 26, 1918. when the boy wrote: “It was a glorious battle, I shall iv-vor forget it, but still 1 cannot get the V.C.” . General Seely added - with emotion; “That is the e nd of the diary. I cannot ' tell you anything more. except what the very day after that. He was k’lled and got the V.C. But it wag to» late.” desperate; fighting. Describing a desperate hand-to-hand ctoinb|t which ,took place in Murray Wood and the task which he had allotted to Lieutenant Flowerdew, General Seely added that in giving instructions he sahl to Flowerdew ; “I know you will lov e to do it,” and he replied: “Yes, sir, I shall love to do it, and 1 promise you L will not fail,”

“1 looked at him and into the wood we went. As I galloped through I heard a terrific fusillade on the German side of the wood and my heart wag heavy when I thought of my brave Flowerdew obviously going back in the middle of the German army.” After three-quarters of an hour of the most desperate hand-to-hand fighting ever (encountered the ,party captured. the whole position. G'entral Seely continued ; ‘‘l ran forward and said to a corporal, ‘Tell me what happened to Flowerdew.’ He said, ‘Oh, sir, we should not have won without him.’ I said to him, ‘Tell me what happened.’ -He said, ‘Lieutenant Flowerdew galloped a hundred yards in front of us, and, waving his sword, told tig to coin e on.’

“We went -on; the Germans were advancing in single file. The moment

they ,saw us they turned and fired. Wb killed a gr e at many of them, but when we got through the far side Lieutenant Flowerdew said; 'Come back again, my lads.’ V.C. . AWARDED AFTER DEATH. “Lieutenant FJowerde w gave another great sjiout, and w t . galloped after him. A German stood up and shot him through >both .thighs. Anotner German shot him through the chest, and lps ihoiv,e collapsed beneath him. He shouted out as h e lay dying ,so loudly that all could hear; ‘Carry on, boys; we have won.' ”

General Seely added ; “Flowerdew was dead, but he received the V.C., .which h e had dreamed of in his diary. .Alas, it could not be presented to him ; it was presented to his sister.” In the words ex the official re c ord; “There ckh be no doubt that this officer's groat valour was the prime factor, in tile of the position.” Machine-guns were everywhere,. and a commentator, describing <Lieufenant Elcwerdew’s charge of the German lines, states: “It was the charge of the Light Brigade again on a smaller scale.”