BRAVE FRENCH OFFICER

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 14155, 18 April 1916, Page 5

BRAVE FRENCH OFFICER

A WONDERFUL FEAT,

(Received April 17, 9.15 p. m-) Paris, April 17. i A lieutenant of a famous African i corps has been awarded the Legio. ~> of Honour War Cross for a wonderful feat at Verdun. A battery of sever ty■fives was stationed on a crest flanking Douaurnont. An Austrian battery, during a blizzard, found the exact range, and at daybreak rained shells of 130 calibre for half an hour, wounding the captain of the French battery, and putting most of its guns ->uc of action. The lieutenant, in desperation, pushed the rest of the guns to a crater and recommenced firing;, 'himself serving one of the guns. By 8 o dock only four of the French gunners were left, by 9 only two, and half an hour later the lieutenant was alojie. He watched the Germans preparing to storm the crest with the bayonet. He waited until . they were within 400 yards, and then worked his gun at top speed. The shells tore through the German masses, ploughing furrows in them. Whole ranks of the Germans' wavered, and then fled in discder, never believing that only oi'-e man was opposed to them. The lie;-:tenant spiked two of the guns. He then harnessed throe mules to a couple of cannon » Inch were almost intact, and brought their: to r.he French main position, with his wounded captain.