The New Zealand Tablet THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 1915. OUR IRISH HEROES

New Zealand Tablet, 15 April 1915, Page 33

The New Zea land Tablet THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 1915. OUR IRISH HEROES

liave done full justice elsewhere to the XE splendid valor of the three Irish soldiers splendid valor of the three Irish soldiers , w * lo lave recently been awarded a, par- ► Ocularly well-merited V.C. The magnificent achievement of Michael O’Leary Oyh stands out as especially memorable, and —•A the- story of how he captured the enemy’s position single-handed, and himself accounted for eight killed and two piisoners, will be read with a thrill of pride by every member of ‘ the fighting race ’ throughout the Empire. Ileie is the narrative as it was given, simply and vividly, in the cables of the time: ‘ O’Leary, a crack shot, and formerly of the Mounted Police of Canada, led the assault of the Irish Guards in the brickfield engagement at La Bassee, 150 yards away. He easily outstripped his companions, and, when nearing the German trench, he dropped to the ground and picked off the whole five of the crew of a machine gun before they could slew the gun. Then he reached the second banicade and shot three more. His comrades completed the rout, and the brickfield was captured in half an hour. Had the Germans been able to use the machine gun the whole company might have been wiped out. O’Leary brought in three prisoners.’ It was without doubt one of the finest things of the whole war, and fully merited the chorus of encomiums which the English papers have so liberally and justly lavished upon it. It is worthy of note that the three new V.C.’s are all typical Irishmen, and bear good, honest Irish names, albeit one of them figures as a member of the Gordon Highlanders. Their heroic deeds form only a part of a sustained and splendid record of endurance and gallantry established by the Irish regiments throughout the war, in the light of which any attempt to side-track or withhold Home Rule when hostilities are over becomes impossible and unthinkable.