AN UNKNOWN HERO

Nelson Evening Mail, 14 November 1916, Page 2

AN UNKNOWN HERO

THE DARING- OF THE'-ftuNNER.

The best of the British soldiery's'that he never feels himself a hero, says acorrespondent writing from British Headquarters. You would • have thought that the old country' troops who took hill trenches and beat the Prussian 'Guard would have been conscious of some exultation ; biit most : of them 'chiefly' ! felt pride, I think, in the indrvi'diiai" feats of others. One of these was one of the Very strangest in the war; Tt is the tale of a runner. There is, 1 suppose, no one more calmly, persistent in doing his duty than these English rumiers. On this night one of them, was sent back from our newly taken 'trench with an important message at a time when the German, bombardment was peculiarly fast and furious. The Wilts and- Worcesters, from whose: rdnks lie came,' were being pouncled with all the weight of metal that the enemy could command; and his artillery has never been stronger. " ' ■■•.-.■■■-■ The runner -passed through- unscathed and presently returned with an answer. He had twice passed ' through' thei curtain of howitzer fire. .Indeed, .the shells had fallen in such profusion during his absence that* the landscape; V was''quite changed. The trenches that had been signposts were. batteredUo the state ' ; of confusing pits and paths. The runner thought that his journey was. -unduly prolonged, but he went on. — that was his business—'arid- in reward presently came to a trench. Being cautious as well as courageous, he looked iri hefore leaping, and'saw,' hot good, kind Englishmen, but crouching Prussians packed tight beneath a. frieze of bayonets. The sight was enough to sate his otiosity, and he retired again in safety. His experience "was' instantly reported to; the artillery, and immediately our heavy shells followed the example of the runner and also looked into the Prussian trench. ••■■•' • ' ' "'•' ■■'."■ ; ; / '"'.' ■'■ :;

It was the very moment when the Guard—the 28th Regiment of the Prussian Fusiliers—had decided to charge. One wave came over the parapet, and as it came was' broken herej there, and everywhere. Its last ripple faded into flatness 50 yards from the trench. ' ! A second followed. The last" surviving unit of it may have travelled '6O" yards. No more made the venture. The attack was broken. Since thev causrht the Prussians 'north-east of Uontalniaisbn our ■ heavies neve? did more -thorough work. °