SIDELIGHTS ON THE WAR

New Zealand Tablet, 16 December 1915, Page 17

SIDELIGHTS ON THE WAR

.'/..• - GENERAL. ':'■ / Mr. Dillon addressed' a meeting of Members of Parliament held in the House of Commons on October 21. to oppose Conscription. After Mr. Dillon's address, it was decided to frame a reasoned statement against .Conscription ' for circulation.

Hie Queen of Sweden, who is a cousin of the Kaiser, is apparently an implacable pro-German. Mr. Edward Gosse, who is responsible for this statement, adds that the- Swedish working classes are on the side of the Allies, and that Sweden will remain neutral. Writing from Paris, a correspondent says: Every day brings news of the death of two or three at least of our priests at the front, whether serving as chaplains, braucardiers, or soldiers. Thus at one college alone in Paris (St. Aloysius’) in one week thirty-nine dead were commemorated.’ What other profession has given a readier answer to the call of patriotism than that? ■

• Cardinal .Bourne was one of the chief speakers at the Lord Mayor meeting at the Mansion House, London, on October 15, to inaugurate a fund for the relief of the Armenian refugees. _ Cardinal Bourne’s main point -was that, an appeal should be made to neutral nations to bring pressure to bear upon the German Government with a view to ameliorating the distress of Armenians and stopping the massacres. His Eminence said that nothing had been left undone by the Holy See that could be done in order to bring to an end a state of things which aroused general horror and sympathy.

Councillor Brogan, ex-Mayor of Battersea, a few weeks ago addressed a recruiting meeting in London. Speaking as an Irish Nationalist, he said his principal reason for a recruiting platform was that ho hated the idea of conscription. It was also because he hoped that, in the years to come, the. historian, writing of this war, would be able to say that, alone among the nations of the earth, Britain had carried this war through with free men ; men who loved liberty and were prepared to die for it. This was a war for the preservation of the rights of little nations, and he felt confident that, in the final adjustment, his own little nation of Ireland would not be forgotten for the gallant part she had taken.

The lied Book, issued by the Marist Brothers, Dumfries, contains some interesting particulars of the part which the Marist Community has played and is playing during the. present war. At the present moment there are over 500 Marist Brothers serving , # £3 with - the colors, of whom 450 are with the Allies French, Italian, and Belgian. These came from all parts of the earth when the call to arms sounded. As regards the work of the Dumfries community, its patriotism is amply evidenced by the fact that its roll of honor contains 150 names. Every branch of the service is represented, and one-third of those on the list hold commissioned rank, ranging from Brigadier downwards. Of 1 those who have already given up their life for the cause of liberty, the earliest known was Ser-geant-Major MacWhinuie, who was the winner of many coveted distinctions. He was mentioned more than once in dispatches and bore the Military Cross and the French Medaille Militaire.

THE TRIALS OF A GENERAL. General de Castelnau, whose noble personality and military talents make him a striking figure in the war, has lost a third son. Two out of his five sons were killed during the first year of the great conflict, and the news of his third bereavement reached the General when he was surrounded by his staff, engaged in giving directions for an important manoeuvre. He became pale and kept silent for a few moments. Then, with an effort, he quietly said: 'Messieurs, nous allons continuer,' and went on with his explanation-" This last

son, Hugues de Caste In an,-was an artillery" officer, fresh from. the ‘ Ecole Polytechnique, and only twenty-one. His captain ’relates how, an officer being required to discharge an important mission, young Castelnau came forward. He fulfilled his rflission bravely‘ 'almost too bravely,’ says his chief— it cost him his life. /

TOUCHING STORY FROM LORRAINE. % The lowing story, strictly true, comes from ' Lorraine. Over a year ago, on September 11, the Abbe Desalme, parish priest of Laufroicourt, in ".Lorraine,! was. arrested by the Germans and hurried off to prison without being allowed to visit his church. At the end of two months he was released and sent back to. France. He returned to his parish, which had since been" retaken by the' French. It was, however, situated so near.the German batteries that it was partly destroyed by the incessant firing. The priest, on arriving, went straight to the half-ruined church; he had been haunted during his captivity by the knowledge that a consecrated Host, remained in the ciborium. • To his relief, he found the Sacred Host in the tabernacle.- It was well preserved, and he was about to consume It, when the captain in command of the village, who accompanied him, interfered. ' Might I ask you,' he said, ' not to consume the Sacred Host To-morrow is Christmas Eve, but, on account of the incessant firing, it is impossible to have midnight Mass. I have here, a soldier priest. Would' you consent to entrust the Blessed Sacrament to his care 1 In my house there is a spare room where It might be deposited. The officer who lives with me is a fervent Catholic. He and I would undertake to watch in turns before the Blessed Sacrament, and at midnight the soldier priest might divide It between us three. This would make up to us for being deprived of midnight Mass.' The parish priest gladly consented. The Sacred Host was carried by the soldier priest to the captain's house, where at midnight on Christmas night It was divided between him and the two officers. ".

CHAPLAIN'S HEROISM. A correspondent at the British front in France writes: ' Eight bombers attached to a well-known- regiment went out about nine o'clock one night, and when dawn came they had not returned.. It had been a terrible night, black as ink, with the cold of the north and the rain of the tropics. As the • morning wore on the regiment pictured their comrades lying wounded and dying in the mud and slush and the decaying corn. If they could only know for certain what had happened it would be relief of a sort. But' how to know Whilst they were thinking in this strain a Catholic chaplain attached to the regiment came up to the firing line and volunteered to go out in front and at anyrate try and find the bodies. After some hesitation his request was granted. Donning his surplice, and with a crucifix in his hand, the priest proceeded down one of the saps and climbed out into the open. With their eyes glued to periscopes the British line watched him anxiously, as he proceeded slowly towards the German lines. Not a shot was fired by the enemy. After a while the chaplain was seen to stop and bend down near the German wire entanglements. He knelt in prayer. Then with the same calm step he returned to his own lines. He had four identity discs in his hand, and reported that the Germans had held up four khaki caps on their rifles, indicating that the other four were prisoners in their hands.' '-' "' - ,; :

A PROVIDENTIAL ARRIVAL. The momentous events which have attracted the attention of the whole world have caused the incident, as it -has been described, which took place recently on the coast of Syria, at Djebel-Moussa, > near Antioch Bay, to .pass almost unnoticed. It is-, nevertheless, worthy of special mention. Some 5000 Armenians men, women, and children—had taken, refuge on that promontory, fleeing before the murderers .. let loose

against them by the Turkish, functionaries. The unfortunate people had dug trenches to defend themselves as best they could, but, though their pursuers found it difficult to scale the rugged sides of the mountain, their position soon became virtually hopeless. The attackers were armed with Mauser rifles, supplied to them by the Germans, whereas the Armenians had no other weapons than old-fashioned guns, and their ammunition was nearly exhausted; also they were starving. ' They were on. the point of being captured. Their aggressors summoned them to surrender, but they still held out, because they knew too well the fate which would be in store for them if they yielded. The old men and women would have been shot, the young women and girls would have been distributed to the Turkish officers and functionaries, to be shut up in their harems or sold as slaves, and the valid men and boys would have been sent as slaves far into the interior of Asia. The Sultan, the Kaiser's ally, has sworn to exterminate the Armenian race, and to effect if possible the total destruction of all the Christians of the Levant. When making a last desperate effort of resistance, one of the famished, despairing Armenians descried a vessel far out at sea. When it approached a little nearer it was seen to be flying the French colors. As quickly as possible a tricolor flag made of bits of rag was manufactured and hoisted on a pole at the very top of the highest rock. The call for aid was understood. The French vessel was one of a small squadron cruising off the Syrian coast. A few cannon shots soon dispersed the Turks, surprised by the suddenness of the unexpected attack. A landing party completed the rout of the attackers. The unfortunate victims of Turkish barbarism were taken on board the French war vessels, which transported them to Egypt, where, under British rule, they are out of danger.

RECONCILED IN DEATH. A reader of the Croix, who was wounded during a spirited and successful attack on the German trenches, describes a moving incident which he witnessed as he lay stricken on the field:—'As soon as the first moments of distress which follow on all wounds had passed, I looked in front of me. Quite near lay two soldiers mortally wounded; one a German, a Bavarian, young and fair-haired, with a gaping wound in his stomach, was lying close to a young Frenchman, who had been stricken in the side and in the' head. Both were in horrible pain, and their faces were growing paler and paler. I could not move, but I kept my eyes on them, for I was dreadfully upset at being unable to aid the Frenchman, who painfully slipped his hand under his coat for something hidden away on his breast. At last he drew forth his hand and in it a little silver crucifix, which he pressed to his lips, saying feebly, but clearly, "Ave Maria, gratia plena," etc. And then as I watched I saw something more which moved me to tears. The German, who had hitherto shown no sign of life except a quick, gasping respiration, opened his blue eyes, which were already glazing with approaching death, turned his head towards the Frenchman and with a look not of hate, but almost of love, murmured also in Latin, "Sancta Maria, Mater Dei," etc. It was now the turn of the Frenchman to cast a look of surpi-ise on his neighbor. Their eyes met and they understood each other. They were two Christians who, companions in a like misfortune, wished, after having lived as citizens, to die as Christians. In a sublime outburst of charity the Frenchman held out his crucifix to the German, who kissed it, and taking him by the hand said, "Having served our countries, let us go to God," and the German added, "Reconciled." Their eyes closed, a shiver ran through their bodies, "and they passed away. "Amen," said I, crossing myself. The sun, disappearing behind a purple cloud, shed a great golden beam on the two bloodstained bodies.' <■ - >

DEATH OF FATHER JOHN GWYNN, S.J. ): l The of the death at the front of Father ; John Gwynn, S. J., will be received with' feelings of profound regret by - a|L who that devoted and heroic--priest (says the Irish Catholie). Physically

ably handsome, tall and soldierly, in appearance, he was eminently qualified to serve as military chaplain, especially with our splendid Irish Guards. Long before the present war Father Gwynn had been virtually installed as the spiritual adviser of that famous regiment, preaching an annual retreat for its members at Caterham. Possessing the gift of eloquence in marked degree, Father Gwynn's lectures and sermons were always eminently impressive and attractive. Father Gwynn has died the death which most befitted him—death of a soldier—and the Society of Jesus has lost a member who, had it been the will of God to spare him, would undoubtedly have reflected lustre on its name. Born in Youghal in 1868, he was descended from the Gwynns of Raphoe. He and his brother (Rev. William Gwynn, S.J.) were educated at St. Ignatius' College, Gal way. He passed brilliantly through all grades of the Intermediate, being an exhibitioner in every grade. In his senior year he acquired a scholarship in the Royal University. At the age of seventeen years he entered the Novitiate of the Society of Jesus at Milltown, studied at Louvain and Linz, Austria. Describing the death of Father Gwynn, S.J., the senior chaplain (the Rev. W. Kjeatinge) states in the course of a letter—' He was in a dug-out with the colonel of the Irish Guards in the trenches when he was struck by a shell. One of his lungs was pierced, and he received about a dozen other wounds. He was. brought into hospital at Bethune and died next morning. I went out there for the Requiem Mass and funeral. The Mass was sung in the chapel of St. Vaast (le petit seminaire), which the clergy kindly put at our disposal. The celebrant was Father Stuart; deacon, Father McShane; subdeacon, Father Fleming. I said a few'words to the men who were present, gave the absolution, and said the last prayers at the grave in the cemetery at Bethune.. The seminary boys sang the music of the Mass, and also on the way to the grave very beautifully. Afterwards I went to see Colonel Madden, commanding Ist Irish Guards, who was badly wounded at the same time. Although suffering very much, he told me how very sorry he was at the loss of Father Gwjmn; how all the battalion were devoted to him, etc. The doctor who attended Father Gwynn told me he must have been a remarkable man, because although in great pain he never allowed himself to show it. He was a splendid priest, absolutely devoted to his men, who loved him, and he must have sent a lot of those who died to heaven. It will be difficult for me to find his successor.' Lord Desmond Fitzgerald, Captain Commanding the Ist Battalion of the Irish Guards, pays a charming tribute to the memory of the late Father Gwynn, S.J., in a letter to the Rev. W. Delany, S.J. 'I know full well,' says Lord Desmond Fitzgerald, that the universal sorrow felt by all ranks of this battalion will be shared by you and all the members of your University who knew him so well. No words of mine could express or even give a faint idea of the amount of good he has done us all out Here, or how bravely he has faced. all dangers, and how cheerful and comforting he -has always been. , It is certainly no exaggeration to saythat he was loved by every officer, N.C.0., and man in the battalion. The Irish Guards-owe him a deep and lasting debt of gratitude, and as long- as any of us are left who saw him out here, we shall never forget his wonderful life and shall strive to lead a better life by following his example. The unfortunate shell landed in the door of the headquarter dug-out just" as we had finished luncheon on October 11. Father Gwynn received one or two wounds in the leg as well as a piece x of shell in his back through his lung. He was immediately bound up and sent,to hospital, but died from shock, and his injuries at 8 o'clock the next morning, October 12. „ He was buried in the cemetery; at Bethune at 10 a.m. on October 13. May his soul rest in peace. But although he has been taken from us he will still be helping us, and rather than grieve at our loss we much rejoice at his happiness.' ", -;S ! *"'^ — *—BS **""**'"'* *■ ■'"■' '■''''••