SIDELIGHTS ON THE WAR

New Zealand Tablet, 21 October 1915, Page 15

SIDELIGHTS ON THE WAR

' GENERAL. . , - ;•■■• ; Mr. Hilaire Belloc will, it is v stated, shortly go to . the French front at the invitation of the French Government. Other distinguished authors have been similarly favored by the French Government.' •■•'.' Over fifty of the seminarists who were with the Scheut Missionary Fathers-in their temporary 'abode at the Cenacle Convent, Stamford Hill, have -been called I to the Belgian colors, and have consequently left the novitiate. '.'•'""./".' ; According to .the latest statistics that have been compiled, it is figured out (remarks the Catholic Times) that there are no less than 115,000,000 Catholics resident in the countries already drawn into the maelstrom of the European conflict. The congregation of St. Thomas of Canterbury, Wandsworth, England, have learned with deep regret of the death of Captain De Penthony O'Kelly, who died in action. Captain O'Kelly was a member of the congregation of St. Thomas's, and before the outbreak of war took an active part in • various movements connected with the parish. News has also been received that Lieutenant Houston, of the York and Lane. Regiment, and a member of the Wandsworth congregation, has been wounded for the second time. FATHER HENRI VAN NECK. Rev. Father Henri Van Neck, of the Sacred Heart Order, a Belgian missionary priest of the Catholic mission staff in Papua, was recently decorated by King Albert himself in front of the Belgian armies for his exceptional bravery on the battlefields of Belgium. After eleven years of a hard and successful apostolate in New Guinea, Father Van Neck was having a few months' rest in his country. When the war broke out, he volunteered at once as a military chaplain in the Belgian cavalry, and has been since constantly at the front with the troops. He writes that he expects after the final victory to come back to his New Guinea mission. THE FUTURE OF LUXEMBURG. The Bishop of Salford, in a letter to the press, in which he describes himself as an ' old and devoted friend and admirer of delectable little Grand Duchy of Luxemburg and its gifted, charming, and intensely patriotic people,' enters protest against the callous suggestion that after the war it should be handed over to Belgium. His Lordship_says it would be a disgrace, after all our protestations against the invasion and projected annexation of Belgium, to acquiesce in a similar outrage upon any independent little State simply because it is small. The neutrality and independence of Luxemburg, the Bishop says, are guaranteed by international treaty, to which Great Britain put its hand. The talk of handing over the liberty of this dear little land is, the Bishop concludes, a crime against liberty and justice. CORPORAL COSGROVE THRILLING DEED. The story of how Corporal William Cosgrove, of the Munsters, won the V.C. at the Dardanelles makes one of the most thrilling episodes of the war. The official account of his exploit is as follows : —' No. 8980, A Corporal William Cosgrove, Ist Batt. the Royal Munfaster Fusiliers, for most conspicuous bravery in the leading of his section with great dash, during our attack from the beach to the east of Cape Helles, on the 1 Turkish position on 26th April, 1915. Corporal Cosl grove on this- occasion pulled down the posts of the : enemy's high wire entanglements single-handed, not- | withstanding a terrific fire from both front and flanks, I thereby greatly contributing to the successful clearing -of the heights.' ..,.,_

Corporal Cosgrove was wounded on the occasion;* and has'since been invalided home. He is recuperating at the camp of;the 3rd Munsters, which ■ is near his native place in Aghada (says-the Freeman's Journal). He began his career as a workman at Whitegate, and in ■; 1910 he joined the Ist Batt. Royal Munster Fusiliers. Having I spent 'five J years in' Indian he was recalled from Burmah at the' outbreak of the war. tile spent some time in England, and left for the Dardanelles on April 25. ; . The V.C.'s story is a simple but eloquent one of ; the terrible ordeal which he and his regiment underwent. ' I was about the tallest; of the men,' he said, ' and all around me fellows were dropping. Bullets whistled and buzzed over my head, and 1 was wondering if any of them would try and pass 6 feet 5 inches from the ground or less, and then my turn would come, for I made a target 6 feet 6 inches long. The Turks certainly had made great preparations : machine guns ahead of us, on our flanks, trenches east, south, and north, and the shores ranged for artillery. However, we got ashore on April 25, tried to find shelter that night, but the Turks kept pounding at us all the time. However, having got our feet on shore, we did not so much mind, and we felt more comfortable than to be potted at in the water. We had a debt to pay back for what we got in the landing, and therefore on the 26th; when we were told that the Turks had to be driven out of their advanced trenches, we were delighted at the chance of making a closer acquaintance with them. It was going to be hot work, for, as I mentioned before, they had the ground splendidly prepared for a defence. It was meshed all over with the worst form of wire entanglements that could be erected. They ran in every direction, and were fixed to stout posts that were more than my own height. 'I thought, when I heard the work I was detailed for, that I would never again have the opportunity of a day's fighting. However, the work was there; it had to be done, for on its success rested the safety of many men, as well as the opportunity it would afford them of helping to throw back the Turks. Our job was to dash ahead, face the trenches bristling with" rifles and machine guns, and destroy the wire entanglements—that is, to cut them here and there with our pliers. Fifty men were detailed for the work. Poor Sergeant Bennett led us, but just as we made the dash—oh ! such a storm of lead was concentrated on us", for the Turks knew of our intention. Our Sergeant-Major was killed—a bullet through the brain. I then took charge shouted to the boys to come on. From the village near at hand there came a terrible fire to swell the murderous hail of bullets from the trenches. In the village they fired from doors and windows, and from that advantage they could comfortably take aim. ' The dash was quite 100 yards, and I don't know whether I ran or prayed the fasterwanted to try and succeed in my wor"K, and also wanted to have the benefit of dying with a prayer in my mind. I can tell you it is not fortunately given to everyone to note the incidents that seem to be the last in your life, and you never feeling better or stronger. Well, some of us got close up to the wire, and we started to cut it with a pliers. You might as well try and snip Cloyne Round Tower with a lady's scissors. The wire was of great strength strained as a fiddle-string, and so full of spikes or thorns that you.could not get the cutters between. A moment later I threw the pliers from me. " Pull them up!" I roared. "Put your arms round them and pull them out of the ground." I dashed at the first one; heaved and strained, and then it came into my arms the same as you'd lift a child. I believe there was wild cheering when they saw what I was at, but I only heard the screech of bullets and saw dust rising all round from where they hit. 'I could not tell you how many I pulled up. I did my best, and the boys that were left with me were every bit as good as myself, and I do wish that they all got some recognition. They met a brave, honorable foe in the Turks, and I am sorry that such decent fighting men were brought into the row by such dirty tricksters as the Germans. They gave us great resistance,

but we -got to their trenches, and won about 200 yards' length by 20 yards' deep, and 700 yards from the shore. - -' " .:'.-.••■■'; A machine gun sent some bullets into me, and, strange, I was wounded before I reached the trench. When I got to the trench I did my own part, and later collapsed. One of the bullets struck me in the side, and passed clean through me. It struck the left hook of my tunic, then entered my body, took a couple of splinters off my backbone, but, of course, did not injure the spinal column, and passed. out on my right side, knocking off the other belt hook. I was taken up feeling pretty bad when I came to. my senses, and considered seriously wounded. I was removed to Malta Hospital, where there were two operations performed, and the splinters of my backbone removed. I am, of course, proud of the distinction given to me, but what gives me the greatest pleasure is the goodness and friendship of my comrades who were with me in the Dardanelles, and who did really magnificent work, but . who, instead of envying me the honor conferred, are warmest and truest in their congratulations. KING ALBERT HELPS. The following characteristic story of readiness to help is told in the Xursiny Mirror of the King of the Belgians : ' At Nieuport Hospital considerable alarm was occasioned a short time ago by an outbreak of fire on the top floor, and the nurses began with great energy to move the patients to a place of safety. In the midst of the tumult one of the nurses, who was trying to lift a wounded Belgian soldier, called out sharply for someone who could speak English. " I can," shouted a voice; "what can L do for you?" Without ceremony she handed the patient over to the charge of the man* who had answered and did not discover that. until the fire was extinguished and order restored that her orderly was King Albert, who had just arrived with the Queen on a tour of inspection.' WAR HARVEST IN FRANCE. Recalled to the colors at the outbreak of war, an inspector of the N.S.P.C.C., serving as battery ser-geant-major ' somewhere in France,' sends home a very interesting letter. ' Both sides,' he writes, ' are very strongly entrenched, and each side is waiting for the other to attack. The talked-of dash for Calais has not been attempted yet. When it does take place, I think we shall give the Germans a good thumping. All the troops here are wonderfully fit; they lack nothing in the way of supplies. At present there is talk of another winter campaign. If it is so, we shall profit by last year's experience, and consequently we shall be made more comfortable. . . It is surprising what little one knows of what is taking place, although you are on the spot. In a few weeks from now everybody here will be harvesting the crops. There are splendid fields of wheat, oats, peas, beans, beetroot, plenty of potatoes, also maize. Every inch is under cultivation, most of it done by the women and children, a few old men and "unfits" thrown in; also a few men who have six or more children, who have been sent out of the firing line by the French. Taking into consideration the shortage of labor, it is simply wonderful the way things are kept going. Everybody in the farming line have to do their share, even the dogs ; they draw carts, churn the butter, and cut up the food for the cattle, most of which are stall fed, there being very little grazing, except in the orchards. It is surprising what a fine lot of children you meet here. I have not seen a single case of what we should call neglect. No matter how poor the family or the size of it, the children are always clean, well shod and clothed. Another thing I have noticed, they all have splendid teeth. What the children are like in the towns I cannot say, as I have only been in a town of any size once, and then for only a couple of hours. Comparing the children of the agricultural districts of our country with France, the children here are far better cared for. Unfortunately,

there : are very':'■■ few schools left standing, and education is at a standstill. Of course, the youngsters are hot worrying about it! . Speaking of the crops, many of them were sown by men, women, and children when under shell-fire, and they go on attending them under the same conditions, even now. We shall all be helping to get them in shortly. The people in this country have suffered terribly no one can realise it unless they have seen it for themselves. They never know from one minute to another whether the farm will be shelled and flattened out. It is quite a common thing to pass a farm almost intact, and the next day find it a heap of ruins. If the men of England could only realise what would happen to our country if the Germans got a footing, there would be no difficulty in getting recruits.' CATHOLIC OFFICERS KILLED AT THE DARDANELLES. Once more we (London Tablet) have to put on record a long war obituary. In particular, the long casualty rolls from the Dardanelles contain many grievous losses, especially in the 6th and 7th Royal Munster Fusiliers, and the 6th Royal Dublin Fusiliers, and in other battalions of the 10th (Irish) Division. Lieut. •Joseph Bagnall Lee, 6th Royal Minister Fusiliers, killed in the Gallipoli Peninsula on August 7, was on© of three brothers on active service—the sons of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Lee, of Bellevue, Blackrock, Co. Dublin. He was twenty-seven years of age, was a member of the Irish Bar, and the author of a work on the Town Tenants (Ireland) Act. Lieut. John Joseph Doyle, 6th Royal Dublin Fusiliers,, who fell in the same fighting, was the fourth son of Mr. Joseph Doyle, of Fairview, Clontarf, Co. Dublin. He was educated at Blackrock College, and was a student in the Engineering School of the National University of Ireland when war broke out. He was a well-known Rugby footballer. Second-Lieut. William F. C. McGarry, also of the 6th Royal Dublin Fusiliers, reported 'missing, believed killed,' during the same fighting, was an old student of Belvedere College, Dublin, and was prominently associated with the National Volunteer movement in the North of Ireland before the war began. The experience thus gained proved useful to him when he took up a military career. He won special commendation as detail officer of his battalion at the Curragh when the great exodus of troops took place in May, and was an officer of great promise. His brother, Second-Lieut. Robert McGarry, holds a commission in the Artillery. Lieut. Daniel Richard Clery is another officer of the same battalion who is reported ' missing ' from the Dardanelles. Second-Lieut. T. Leslie McGeorge, sth Manchester Regt., believed to have been killed in action in Gallipoli on August 7, was the son of Mr. T. J. McGeorge, of Woolton, near Liverpool, and a partner in the firm of McGeorge and Jardine, of Liverpool. He enlisted in the Liverpool Comrades' Battalion on its formation, receiving a commission in the sth Manchester Regt. in April last. He was twenty-six years of age.

Captain Robert Randerson, 6th Batt. Yorkshire Regt., who is officially reported to have died at the Dardanelles on August 7, was an old student of Hammersmith Training College, and was an assistant master at St. Mary's School, Batley, at the outbreak of the war, when he joined the Leeds University O.T.C. He was soon afterwards given his commission in the 6th Yorkshires, receiving full lieutenancy in January, and being gazetted captain two months ago, though only twenty-four years of age. Captain John Henry Rymer (11th" Manchester Regt.), is reported from the War Office as 'killed in action ' between August 7 and 11. It is supposed that his death took place at the Dardanelles. " He was the son of the late Edward Rymer and of Mrs. Rymer, of Tunbridge Wells. He was educated at Beaumont School, Old Windsor, and he served throughout the South African War. His.eldest brother, Captain Edward Rymer, R.N., is Naval Attache at Tokyo.

| Captain Michael James Aloysius Foley, 10th Middlesex Regiment, T.F., killed, in the Dardanelles fighting, was a well-known London Territorial officer, and had been adjutant of his battalion: I ■;•■■ IRISH OFFICERS WOUNDED AT THE DARDANELLES. The following officers, all belonging to Irish Regiments, have been wounded in the Dardanelles: Second-Lieut. William G. Ryan, 6th Royal Irish Rifles (Belvedere College, Dublin),, son of Mr. J. G. Ryan, of Palmerston road, Dublin; Second-Lieut. Christopher F. Healy, 6th Royal Dublin Fusiliers, son of Mr. William Healy, Carrick-on-Suir, and before receiving his commission employed on the staff of the L.C.C. Education Department; Second-Lieut. Thomas Dennehy Hallinan, 7th Munsters (Beaumont), eldest son of Mr. Edward Hallinan, J.P., of Avancore House, Midleton, County Cork, and nephew of the late General Sir Thomas Dennehy, K.C.1.E., and recently an officer in the Midleton Corps of National Volunteers; Captain Joseph James Thomas Carroll, 6th Royal Dublin Fusiliers (Belvedere College, Dublin), late District Inspector of the Royal Irish Constabulary, and son of Mr. Redmond F. Carroll, Barrister-at-Law, of Dublin ; Captain James A. D. Dempsey, sth Royal Irish Fusiliers; Second-Lieut. Charles Andrew Martin, 6th Royal Dublin Fusiliers (Downside); Second-Lieut. Francis Brendan Carroll, 6th Royal Dublin Fusiliers (Belvedere College, Dublin) ; and Second-Lieut. Thomas Edmund Hearn, 6th Munsters (Clongowes), son of Mr. M. L. Hearn, solicitor, of Rathmines, Dublin. Other wounded casualties reported from the Dardanelles include:Captain Matthew Burke Honan, 10th South Lancashire Regiment (Ampleforth), an architect who has carried out a considerable amount of work for the diocese of Liverpool; Lieut. Thomas Denis Daly, Bth Royal Welsh Fusiliers: and Lieut. W. J. Slim, 9th Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Lieut. Samuel E. B. Laville, 2nd Leinster Regiment (Bedford Grammar School), son of Mr. Louis Victor Laville, and Second-Lieut. John Henry Monaghan, of the same battalion, are both reported wounded from France in a list dated August 15. CARDINAL AMETTE AND HIS PRIESTSOLDIERS. At the close of a year of war the Cardinal Archbishop of Paris has addressed a letter to the clergy of his diocese who have been mobilised, and who number almost a half of his priests. Eight have been killed on the field of honor. His Eminence writes: ' In a trial of which it is yet impossible to foreseethe end, there is nothing to be done but to practise what we preach ; to hold on to the end, that is to say till victory is achieved. And you will hold on in the accomplishment of your duty as soldiers the more faithful you are to the practice of priestly virtues and piety the spirit of sacrifice, of apostolate and of prayer. Sacrifice is imposed on you daily in all its forms and exposes many of you to the supreme immolation of life ; unite all these sacrifices to that of the Sovereign Priest, our Lord Jesus Christ, for the redemption of souls; they will be fruitful. As to the apostolate, it is only possible to many of you in a restricted form. The most fortunate among you are those who can, either as chaplains or stretcher-bearers at the front, give the help of their ministry to their brothers in arms. But all of you, if you are always anxious to do good to those about you, can be apostles, in all prudence and discretion, by giving an example of courage, discipline, endurance and devotedness.' FATHER AND CHILD. A French soldier who fell on the field of honor on June 15 wrote, seven days before his death, a moving letter to his little motherless son, aged three months

arid ten days, in the hope that the boy would one day read his words: ' ■•,'/•;"■., ; '.'-""■ 'Dear little Paul, —Young as you are, you have already had the misfortune to lose your dear mother. She only lived to love you for.a few hours, but, oh, how happy and proud she was of you. Alas! death snatched her from us. You have now only your father, my little one, and he is far»away from you at the front, but even so far away he loves you dearly. How glad he would be to be near you, to watch over you, and to see you grow in knowledge and strength. This would be my greatest happiness,, but if God wishes for another victim, His holy will be done. . . . The life that is opening out before you may be thorny sometimes and, sometimes pleasant. Never mind, go always straight forward, with head erect; be loyal "and frank, love your kin, and your neighbor as yourself. Respect your godmother and obey her. All your life long pray for your father and mother. We await you in heaven. Au Revoir.' SOUTHWARK CATHOLICS AND THE WAR. In many of the missions of South London statistics are being compiled, and a record carefully preserved of the men who have answered the call of the nation and have joined the colors. It is difficult (writes a representative) to give the exact figures of those who have joined the-Army since the commencement of hostilities, but approximately 10,000 Catholics from the various missions in the diocese of Southwark are now with the forces. It is officially announced this week that more than 350 old boys of the Southwark Rescue Society are serving with the forces, ten have laid down their lives, many have been wounded, three have been mentioned for distinguished service, and a number of them are prisoners of war. CATHOLIC SOLDIERS AT MASS. .f>' A subaltern, writing from Belgium to the Church Times, says: —■ ' The following account of the impression produced by the Roman Catholics in our army out here upon the inhabitants of Belgium may prove of interest. It was their behaviour and devotion at Mass. To us this is of interest as members of the Church of England, in so far as it shows the effect of Catholicism (in its broadest sense) on the British character, and the impression produced on our Allies by this combination. My informant was the lady of the house in which I am billeted, and I will endeavor, so far as I am able, simply to reproduce what she told me:—"Oh, yes, we were all astonished by the behaviour and the devotion of the English soldiers the first Sunday they came to Mass in the village church. They, were all most attentive the whole time and did not look about the church. They did not spit on the ground as you often see some people do. I offered my chair to an officer who was standing and had not one ; but no, he would not take it. In fact, they never knelt on their chairs as we always do, but- always knelt right down on the hard stone floor. And when it came to the collection they all gave something, and several put in francs and two francs. After Mass everyone was talking about it; and the next Sunday Monsieur le Cure in his sermon pointed out the devotion of the English as an object lesson to us.'' '