CAPTAIN JACKA, V.C.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17082, 14 August 1917, Page 7

CAPTAIN JACKA, V.C.

DARING EXTRAORDINARY. HOW BAR TO M.C. WAS WON. LONDON, July 27. Captain Albert Jacka, Y.C., M.C., has developed into a heroic figure in tho Australian Imperial Force. He is now a sound officer and tactician, and an inspiring loader. His men trust him and follow him anywhere. New exploits constantly show his extraordinary daring. He is continually taking part in night scouting and bringing in valuable_ information. His present wound—the third he has sustained —was received while scouting at dawn with, two men in a dangerous quarter. Near a wood they met a party of snipers, who fired a volley before they were seen. Captain Jacka was hit in tlie thigh and fell. The other scouts fired on the scampering Germans, killing two of them. Jacka was carried to safety. Though he has been only a fortnight in hospital in London, Captain Jacka has applied to be sent back to tho front soon. He has declined to undertake staff work. Captain Jacka's bar to his Military Cross was the result of fine intelligence work at BuJlocourt. When out on a dull moonlight night with another officer laying | luminous tapes designed to guide an .attack ho saw four figures moving. The two leaders reached the tape, and Captain Jacka sent an officer to warn the Lewis igunners. The scouts sneaked round tho intruders, and were uncertain whether they were Germans until close to them. Captain Jacka tried to shoot an officer, but the nipplo of his revolver was broken, so he rushed the officer, struck him. on tho jarw, and stunned him. Both the Germans wcro paralysed with fear, and surrendered, giving information upon which the artillery acted effectively. Captain Jacka has proved frequentlv that eudden hurricanc attacks will enable an individual or a weak force to succced when greatly outnumbered.