SIDELIGHTS ON THE WAR

New Zealand Tablet, 18 May 1916, Page 19

SIDELIGHTS ON THE WAR

GENERAL.

About one hundred members of the Dundee ProCathedral League of the Cross are serving in his Majesty's Forces. During last year the League obtained 270 new adherents in the parish.

The Rev. R. J. Campbell, in some notes which he contributed to the February number of the Birmingham* Street-Children's Union- Magazine, says that one of the results of sending so many of our men to France will be, he thinks, an increased respect and admiration for the Catholic Church among those English people who have hitherto regarded it with hostility and contempt.

The first cargo of cocoa from the ex-German Cameroons- tons —reached London the other day. This is the first-fruits of conquest. Cameroons was the chief German cocoa-producing colony. Germany obtained about 4000 tons annually from Cameroons and Togoland—not a very large amount, when it is remembered that the total world's consumption of cocoa is 200,000 tons. It is interesting to note that the German Cameroons was the first colony in West Africa to produce cultivated cocoa. The Germans did not make a great success of their cocoa-growing there, largely because of the economic weakness of their system of forced labor, a contrast with the extraordinary success of the native cocoa-growing industry on the Gold Coast.

PATRIOTISM OF A FRENCH FAMILY.

Writing to his parents at Felling (Tyneside), Lance-Corporal Hugh Cassidy, Ist Battalion Tyneside Irish Brigade, states: —' I have had my spell in the trenches for six days, and am out now for four days in billets quite close to the lines. . . . The people with whom I am billeted are very good Catholics, and are also very sympathetic. They have had a son killed, one injured, one about the same age as myself, and also a corporal on service. The daughter is a prisoner in has been up at the trenches bandaging the wounded, while the little boy was shot in the leg by a German sentry. So you see they have had their share of the war. The kind lady cooked all my food, did my washing, and went to a great deal of trouble over me, and when I offered her a reward for her labors she would not accept it.'

BELGIAN MERCHANT IN SYDNEY.

Mr. A. Hartog, head of one of the principal Belgian lace manufacturers, and Madame Hartog are now in Sydney, after a long and bitter experience of the German occupation of Belgium. Mr. Hartog had three houses, the head branch in the capital city, and the others at Malines and Lierre. The two latter were entirely destroyed during the invasion; the Brussels' house is closed. Mr. Hartog had left Brussels for Manila, where his son is in business, three weeks before the war, leaving Madame Hartog in charge, and his efforts to get into communication with her are characteristic of Belgian tenacity, and highly deserve their reward. In order to avoid submarines, he attempted to return on a neutral vessel, but they refused to accept him. He managed %p get to Singapore, then to Marseilles on a French boat. Failing to get a Dutch steamer, he travelled on a cargo boat to Havre, then back to Bordeaux, in the faint hope that some captain might take the risk of carrying him to Rotterdam. Finally, he went to Folkstone, and from that port he

succeeded in reaching the Hague. By roundabout methods, known to diplomats, he succeeded in communicating with his wife, and learned that she was well; but was living under great nervous strain. After many artifices had failed, he succeeded in getting a passport for her, and she crossed the border last September, fourteen months after the German occupation of Brussels.'

SCOTO-IRISH DISTINCTIONS.

In the particulars just issued, by the War Office of deeds which have won the D.C.M. the following appear : ' ,

Private G. D. Hagarty, Highland Light Infantry, carried many messages to and from the front, when all communication was cut both to the front and rear. Although exposed to a very heavy shell fire, he showed extraordinary coolness and total disregard of personal danger. Sergeant J. T. Maguire, Highland Light Infantry, collected bombing parties in the enemy's lines, and re-organised and rallied them on several occasions. He behaved throughout with the greatest bravery, and was one of the last to leave the lines. Private J. McCabe, Royal Highlanders, brought in four wounded men who were exposed to the enemy fire and who would otherwise have been killed. Private J. McFadden, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, brought in several men under very heavy fire, and rescued the Commanding Officer who was lying out wounded, after two previous attempts had failed. Private F. McGlone, Seaforth Highlanders, carried on five occasions messages to and from the firing line, although exposed to heavy shell and rifle fire. Private W. B. McGowan, Seaforth Highlanders, continued with great bravery and determination to serve his gun when the remainder of the machine-gun detachment had been killed or wounded : he thus helped to stop the advance of the enemy at a critical moment. -Acting Regimental Sergeant R. McNally, Royal Scots Fusiliers, after his pjatoon commander had been wounded and nearly all thejplatoon either killed or wounded, by his own unaided efforts brought back fourteen wounded men. He was under fire the whole time, some three hours, while going backwards and forwards with the wounded. Private T. Regan, Highland Light Infantry, showed conspicuous gallantry when acting as a bomber. On finding he could not throw far enough to reach the enemy bombers from the trench, he got outside the parapet and bombed from there. He was one of the last to leave the enemy trenches. Corporal W. Kerrigan, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, has been awarded a clasp to his Distinguished Conduct Medal. At Gallipoli, on the 21st July, 1915, he advanced with great bravery, under very heavy fire, over two hundred yards of open ground, to get into communication with troops on the right flank, returning with information which enabled the position to be consolidated.

A HOMELESS BISHOP.

La Croix, of Paris, gives a description of the sorry plight of the Bishop of Verdun on account of the continued bombarding of - his episcopal city. After passing four days and nights in the furnace of fire and exploding shells, during which time he visited and encouraged the inhabitants of Verdun, who had taken refuge in the citadel or in cellars, Mgr. Ginisty was at length obliged to leave the town with the last of the inhabitants, with his valise in his hand, abandoning his house and all it contained, and take to the high road, for neither train nor any mode of conveyance was available for civilians. The personnel of the episcopal offices and the clergy of Verdun accompanied the Bishop in his departure. His Lordship rested at Souilly—a village not far from the town— a little repose from his fatigues and the emotions of the past days. On the morrow (26th February), after meeting the General in Command, who gave him words of hope and encouragement, the Bishop returned to Verdun, which he could not enter. He spent the day visiting, comforting, and blessing the soldiers who were carried out of the conflict so near. When night approached

he made his way alone in the darkness of the night to the hospital of Vadelaincourt, where he was received by the chaplains and doctors with the greatest kindness. The following day, Sunday, the Bishop celebrated Mass in a stable— real Bethlehem—converted into a chapel, and preached to the assembled nurses, doctors, soldiers, and flying refugees. In the afternoon of that day.he was able to get a seat on a motor-charabanc that was conveying the nuns and patients from a hospital of Verdun thus he was able to reach Bar-le-Duc despoiled of all he had in the world. He .was kindly received by the Archpriest Langlois.

DESTITUTE BELGIANS.

The English-speaking world has certainly been moved by the terrible trials the Belgians have endured and are enduring. America and the British colonies have a very large share in the merit of saving the three million Belgians in Belgium from starvation. Up to March 4 (says the Catholic Time*) the National Committee for Relief in Belgium had received from British sources subscriptions amounting to £1,500,000. Of this sum over £1,000,000 was subscribed by Australia and New Zealand. The appeal made by the Lord Mayor of London, his Eminence Cardinal Bourne, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Duke of Norfolk, Mr. John Redmond, and other religious and political leaders met with a good response, but much more financial help is required to meet the .needs of the situation. A steady income of at least £250,000 a month is necessary for transfer by the National Committee to Mr. Hoover's neutral Commission for Relief. The Belgians who have remained in their own country are in a pitiable condition. The invader refuses to feed them, and they are able to do little for. themselves. Unless the aid which they receive is well kept up destitution amongst them will become acute. But we do not entertain much fear on that score. Their heroism has made friends for them throughout the world, and these will see to it that they are not in want of food.

SERGEANT KENNY, V.C.

There was a crowded attendance recently at the Palace Theatre, Wingate, Co. Durham,, LanceSergeant Thomas Kenny, of the 13th Durham Light Infantry, was made the recipient of a testimonial in recognition of his having been awarded the Victoria Cross. Sergeant Kenny lives at South Wingate, and before the war he worked as a miner at Wingate Colliery. He was awarded the V.C. for bringing in a wounded officer under heavy fire and in exceptionally difficult circumstances at Hulluch last December.

Mr. C. H. Leeds, manager of Wingate Colliery, presided, and the testimonial was handed over by Mr. John Magee, of Castle Eden, who said he had known Sergeant Kenny from his boyhood, and had always found him to be an upright, brave, and chivalrous man, and he was glad Kenny had secured one of the highest honors of the British Army. The gift consisted of Government bonds for £SO, subscribed by the people of Wingate, and the directors of the Wingate Palace added £lO, the proceeds of the evening's entertainment, less expenses. On the following day Sergeant Kenny was presented by the Rev. Father James O'Dowd with a marble clock and bronzes, a set of silver sconces, and a pipe and tobacco from the children of St. Mary's School, Wingate, the school he attended when a boy. The Sergeant, who was accompanied by his wife and seven children—most of the latter pupils at the school, which is in the parish of SS. Peter and Paul, Hutton House, Castle —was also presented with an address.

ZEPPELINS AND WEATHER CONDITIONS.

A special correspondent of the Daily Chronicle deals exhaustively with the various weather theories advanced in connection with the Zeppelin raids on England. Amongst these have been(l) The moonlight theory; that Zeppelins do not come during the second and third quarters of the moon. (2) The temperature

theory that at low temperatures on the surface the high temperatures are too cold for them. (3) The wind theory that a breeze that stets the dust flying and makes an umbrella difficult to manage is too strong for them. (4) The wind direction theory; that certain winds hindered their passage across the North Sea. (5) The cloud theory; that in skies heavy with clouds they, would be unable to see the land below and steer a course. (6) The fog theory ; a stronger version of this last theory. (7) The rain theory. (8) The snow theory. (9) The barometer theory ; that Zeppelins need be expected only when the aneroid points to ' Set fair.' Generally the assumption has been that Zeppelins are fair weather craft, and dare venture forth only in light airs and on dark nights; that the moon is their most persistent enemy, putting them out of action for nearly a fortnight every month of the year ; that even moderate winds were dangerous to them; and that snow would be fatal.

All these theories (says the correspondent) have been disapproved by fact. There have been 25 Zeppelin raids up to date (March 8). The Zeppelins have come in virtually every phase of the moon, from new to full. In their successive visits they had had the wind from every quarter of the compass. The wind has ranged from 'light airs' to 'strong breezes.' The thermometer has ranged from frost to sweltering summer heat. Skies have been blue and overcast with clouds. There has been on several occasions mist; rain has been falling still more often; and during the raid of March 5 there was winter weather of an extreme kind : heavy snowfalls and squalls of wind. Bombs were dropped upon a northern town during snow squalls so bitter that the local correspondents spoke of a ' blizzard.' With all these varieties of weather there has, of course, been every sort of variation of the barometer. .Evidently the date of each raid has depended solely on the instructions issued to the raiders.