HOW THE LINE WAS HELD.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLII, Issue 11477, 4 March 1918, Page 7

HOW THE LINE WAS HELD.

HEROIC BRUTSH SOLDIEkS. Feb. 15. A list of twelve awards of the Victoria Cross has been gazetted. Seven of the heroes sacrificed their lives. Lieutenant-Colonel Neville ElliotOooper, of the Royal Fuslievs, learning that the enemy had broken through an outpost of the line and was advancing across the open, rushed out from his dugout, mounted the F parapet, and d-shed forward, calling on reserve company ana details from b station headquarters to follow. Though absolutely unarmed, he made a beeline for the enemy, and leading our men, foced back the enemy (‘.OO yds. He was severely wounded when 40 yds. ahead, and signalled to his followers to withdraw, realising the insuperable odds against them, and regardless,-of the knowledge that lie must be taken prisoner. The late Captain Walter Stone, of the Royal Fusiliers, though ordered to withdraw his company and leave a rearguard owing to an expected attack, remained when lie realised the unexpected rapidity of the onslaught. He proceeded to'tolephone most valuable information under a tremendous bombardment, and was seen fighting to the last when the re a guard was surrounded and cut to piece?. ; YtrsP Lieutenant Samuel Wallace, of the Field Artilley, when the personnel of his battery was reduced to five, and was surrounded, maintained the fire by swinging the trails round close togetiier, enabling the men to serve the guns,. Ha thereby rendered most valuable support to other troops. He was iu ac tion eight hours. Sergeant Koyril Hourly, of the Field Artillrey, though closely beset, fired his gun at short range in fall view all day long, keeping the enemy in check. The late Private Walter Mills, of .the Manchester Regiment, despite that he was badly gased, continued to bomb a strong enemy patrol single-haudedl until tbe arrival of reinforcements. The enemy was sorely defeated owing to bis ’exertions, and the line Was retained intact. Mills died from gas-poisoning.