ARTILLERY HERO.

Mataura Ensign, 14 February 1916, Page 5

ARTILLERY HERO.

—- Mr H. Warner Allen, special eorres pondenl of tin l Brilish pros with the French armies, deserihine a C'iristmas Kvo party in Alsace, says: A mono t:i es of heroism tin- palm was generally e, vo:i to one l>y an anil'ery 'a])liin of It's lieutenant. "We had deeded," ho said, "to ;;<m rid oi" ;i machine ciiu slu-l-tor lhil had liee,-i auuoyuiy, us. and while- wo were ahem il l-o knock the front line of Ihe Cerium i rcncluvs to pieces. The lines were si close ih'lt l-!ie colonel ordered' all llm fronlireuche. to he ova.-uated ext-epj for niv lieutenant, who Irid volunteered io slay t here ami direc, the lire.

".My liattfry epen<d lire and after a lew rounds my i'ouienanl t elephoiieil, A'itv ::oi)d, Inil ii \oii shorten your ranjie l, v '.:O yar ; K j| will he still ht'tter.' As the !';iii;.;i' was over ."i.'-HU yard, i te'ephoned iiack i'> ask hj in d' he wis sii re that I could shorten it without da'.eo'r Hi tjini. Ife r< plied I hat it wa - quite safe. Alter a iillll.her ol rounds ho telephoned me in shorten tTie hv 'U> yards more. Then,' he sa'd. 'vuiir shell., will no i'alliii"; ri;;-ltf on the front line of (iernr.in t tenches.' 'All riejtt.' 1 -aid. 'You, of course, will retiro to ihe second line ' ! t/.avc hni ini'e to ;-et .away and then iieeau a ,r ,ain.

"Ten minutes later lo my auia/., motif the ie'ephotie ran;: ae,an>. Vlv lieutetiaicl. had stayed- at. h's p.ist Ihoui;!) a perfect, hail of French .shells was Hurst ine or: the (ierinan trenches 'even yards frmn him. Wo measured ihe d Isiai'oo. It says suinethiiie for our mruier-, that ouiy oim shell had hurst in the French trench.''