Another British Hero.

Otago Witness, Issue 2288, 6 January 1898, Page 54

Another British Hero.

In Sir Evelyn Wood's " Reminiscences " a touching instance of courage and self-sacrifice is given. One June day in 1855 a detachment of Euglish marines was crossing the Woronzow road under fire from the Russian batteries.

All the men reached sbelter in the trenches except a seaman, John Blewitt. As he was running a terrific roar was heard.

His mates knew the voice of a huge cannon, the terrcr of the army, and yelled, " Look out ! It is Whistling D.ck!" But at the moment Biewitfc was struck on the knees by the enormous mass of. iron and thrown to the ground.

He called to his especial chum, " Oh, Welch, save me ! "

The fuse was hissing, but Stephen Welch ran out of the trenches, and, seizing the great shell, tried to roll it off bis comrade. It exploded with such force that not an atom of the bodies of Blewitt or Welch was found.

Even in that time, when each hour had its excitement, this deed of heroism stirred the whole English army. One of the officers searched out Welch's old mother in her poor home, and undertook her support while she lived, and the story of hi 3 death helped^his comrades to nobler conceptions of a soldier's duty.