SIDELIGHTS ON THE WAR

New Zealand Tablet, 5 October 1916, Page 17

SIDELIGHTS ON THE WAR

GENERAL. A cable message states that Edward Dwyer, the youngest holder of the Victoria Cross, known as ‘ the little corporal/ was killed in action while gallantly leading a charge on September 4. He was an English Catholic of Irish descent. Another Catholic chaplain has died on duty, the Rev. J. A. Hartigan, S.J., of Groom. He volunteered for service in the beginning of the year, and was sent with a Connaught Rangers battalion to Mesopotamia. Contracting jaundice, he died in his 32nd year. Father Hartigan was a Limerick man, and had three brothers in the service. The Due de Rohan, Deputy for Morbihan, died a few weeks ago from wounds received during the fighting at Rarleux, on the Somme. The Duke, who was thirty-seven years old, was a captain in the Chasseurs a Pied. lie h- d been wounded twice oefor**once at Charleroi, and again at Douaumont during the last stand, and had been enrolled in the Legion of Honor. On the Somme he was wounded in fifteen places. The Duke is the eighth Deputy killed in the war.

A saying of the King of Italy has been going the rounds of the Italian press which is well worth remembering: —Whilst visiting an ambulance at the front. King Victor Emmanuel had a talk with a young wounded soldier who had particularly distinguished himself in the recent attacks on the Austrians in the Trentino. Having learned that the lad was a seminarist on the eve of receiving Orders when called to the colors, the King said:—‘ Where there is faith, there is heroism too.’ And Ije decorated him with his own hand.

Captain Bernard Charles Albert Steuart, of the Black Watch, whose name was returned a short time ago in the list of officer's wounded in action, is a Scots Catholic of illustrious lineage, the son of the late Mr. John Steuart of Ballechin, of Perthshire. Like the Bute family (whose name is Crichton-Stuart), the Steuarts of Ballechin are descended from the Scottish royal line, tracing their ancestry to King James 11. Their Perthshire mansion has an interesting reputation for ghostly manifestations so vivid as to have engaged the attention of the Society for Psychical Research. Captain Steuart is his father’s fourth son, and received his company* in 1914.

lii a recent despatch of Sir Douglas Haig, no less than sixty Catholics were mentioned specially, for devotion to duty and valor. Amongst the better known are the Earl of Denbigh and his son Viscount Fielding, both of whom receive special mention for extraordinary gallantry in the field. It is unusual for father and son to be mentioned together. The Fieldings have already given a grand example of what Catholics can do in the hour of the ■ country’s need. One son, Lieutenant Fielding, gave his life for Britain in the recent Naval battle, and Lady Dorothy Fielding, one of the Earl’s seven daughters, has been at the Belgian front with her motor ambulance in the band of gallant workers of the Hector Munro organisation ever since the commencement of the campaign, and has been personally decorated by the King of the Belgians. A French military chaplain, in a sermon at a High Mass on Palm Sunday sung in a huge cellar, told the following moving incident: —n. corporal was in his dug-out in a first-line trench when a shell came and buried him in the debris. His comrades quickly ran to the spot and managed to free his head and shoulders. It was then perceived that his lower limbs were smashed to pulp and could not be disengaged without hastening his death. ‘Leave me alone,’ he implored them, arid then turning to a priest stretcher-bearer, ‘Do you help me to pray.’ With that he prayed calmly and resignedly. A chaplain came up. ‘Ah!’ said the dying man, ‘I felt sure you would come. I should so much like to receive my God.’ The chaplain had the Blessed

Sacrament with him and he gave him Communion. ‘ Would you like me to say some prayers aloud with you?’ asked the chaplain. No, I would rather talk quietly now with Jesus.’ And a few moments afterwards the poor fellow quietly expired. Among the Catholic officers whose deaths in action were lately reported is Lieut. Charles Albert Moloney, of the King's Liverpools, killed on July 14. Three of his brothers are in the service, one being Rev. Father Moloney (Captain), D.C.M., a chaplain with the forces. Another Catholic officer whose name is in a recent casualty list is Lieut. John Leo Whitty, of the Leinsters, attached to the Royal Flying Corps, formerly renorted missing and now believed to have been killed. Educated at St. Francis Xavier’s, Liverpool, he had three brothers at the front. He gained the Military Cross for bravery. The lieutenant was a relative of Mr. Whitty, M.P., one of the Irish members. Following on the Allies’ occupation of the Cameroons, fears were entertained as to the provision made for the spiritual comforts of the Catholics of this hitherto German province, since the missionaries there were all German, who, despite protestations of sincerity for their spiritual mission, were naturally enough kept from mixing with the natives. However, Lea Mission* Cat ties (Catholic Missions) just published, contains some welcome information on the subject, informing us that French and British missionaries, though inadequate in number (there are 30,000 Catholics in the Cameroons), are doing their utmost to make periodical visitations to all the principal stations throughout the country, and incidentally have inflicted a death-blow on the Protestant German-. American propaganda of proselytising which was calculated to succeed among the natives during the absence of their former padres. A LETTER FROM THE FRONT. The following rather interesting letter has been written from ‘ Somewhere in France’ by a former pupil of the Sacred Heart School, N.E. Valley. It is dated July 2, 1916: My last letter was written to you from Egypt, but since then we have transferred to a civilised country again. Although we have seen some beautiful places, New Zealand still reigns in our hearts as the ‘ Queen of Lands.’ Thomas Bracken was certainly in the right place when he called her * God’s own country.’ On arrival in France we had a trip of 57 hours in the train, passing through some beautiful scenery. The farms are small and are kept like prize gardens. The work at present is carried on by women, as all the men are away in the trenches. As we passed the various stations bands played the French National Anthem, and the people seemed to go mad for the time being with joy. At one point of the journey we passed through a snow storm, thus experiencing the two extremes of temperature —the heat of Egypt and the snows of France. This is the first snow I have been amongst since I lived in Dunedin, eight years ago. Since my arrival here I have seen no fewer than eight churches that have been shelled practically to pieces. I have seen villages with the grass, growing in the streets and which gave no sound. It is sad to think that these same streets once rang with the merry laughter of happy children, and that in these churches some good old priests had ministered to the spiritual welfare of the people. In the midst of the ruins one often sees crucifixes, statues, and shrines untouched. The Protestants often put this down to luck, but we Catholics are able to look at it in a different light. The thing most dear to the people is their religion: it is part of their daily life, even part of their being as it were. ' I never felt so proud of my religion as when I experienced the universality of it, and that only since I have been in France. Our Protestant comoanions are quite puzzled when we go to church. They often say to us: ‘What’s the use; you can’t speak French?’ Igo to Mass and to Holy Communion every Sunday when circumstances permit. A I have lived in villages where all the people were Catholics, and where everyone could speak of -the One God in the

same way. What perfect harmony these people must live in ! Another thing worthy, of notice is the Catholic home. Crucifixes and statues of our Lady and the Sacred Heart are to be seen in the poorest households. In the first billet we were in the mother blessed her children every morning at the family font. The children here wear a silver and pearl crucifix round their necksquite different to the cheap jewellery that is so often seen in the colonies. On Easter Sunday we assisted at Mass in a little village well away from the firing line. Father Doyle, of Auckland, celebrated Mass and preached a beautiful sermon. He said he was proud of the fact that so many New Zealanders were gathered together on Easter Sunday in one of the most Catholic countries in the world. I have met quite a number of old Christian Brothers’ boys since I have been out here. I will be sending you a 12in shell one of these days to keep the door open— don’t think. I saw a very amusing thing in a shop window the other day. A ticket was placed against some articles that were made from souvenirs of the war. Later on I again saw the same ticket, after it had fallen on to a dish of cakes. It read thus : ‘ These are made from German shells.’ We hear that the people of New Zealand are wondering at the casualty list being so large when no forward move is taking place. They must be very foolish to so think, because they evidently do not realise what warfare really is. Perhaps if they were under shell-fire for a while it would bring them to their senses. I will be pleased to get back to old Dunedin again. HOW FRENCH SOLDIERS GET THE SACRAMENTS. Readers will be interested to know how the French Catholics have outwitted the infidel Government in its regulations which were framed so as to prevent, if possible, soldiers in hospitals receiving the consolations of religion. The matter is well explained by a correspondent of America , whose letter Ave reproduce: ‘ As is well known, there is in France a law which provides that no one shall secure the services of a priest without personally stating this desire. If anyone is too ill to send the summons, the patient may die without the ministrations of the Church. In these days of war, the law works with exceptional cruelty. In consequence, a benevolent plan has been evolved which is now giving comfort to thousands of men at the front. A small pamphlet, containing prayers for Mass and other Catholic prayers, has been published, under the name of Vade Mecum du Snldat. On the inside of the cover are printed in French the following words: — “ln the name of the liberty of conscience promised by the law of 1903 (Article 1), which reads thus: ‘The Republic guarantees liberty of conscience,’ I declare that I belong to the Catholic religion. . . At the military hospital I desire to be visited by the priest and to receive all his priestly ministrations. In case of accident or grave illness, I demand that the Catholic priest shall be with me. If I die, I wish the prayers of the Catholic Church and religious burial.” The following words are subjoined in capital letters: “‘This is my express wish.” The soldier then signs his full name, the number of his company, regiment, battalion, or garrison. Catholic soldiers leaving for the front accept these leaflets most gratefully. The soldier carries it on his person. The well-known Catholic Paris newspaper, La Croix, has taken charge of this praiseworthy work, receives contributions of tfrioney, and is now sending thousands of these leaflets tn the front. ' THE GALLANT IRISH. Mr. Philip Gibbs, the well-known Avar correspondent, writes; ‘ The charge of the Irish troops through Guillemont on Sunday, September 3, was one of the most astonishing feats of the war. It was a wild'and irresis-

tible assault, made to the playing of the pipes, “Like a human avalanche,” said an English rifleman, who was acting in support, “the Irish right stormed the German first, second, and third lines, as if they were possessed. If there was any fault, 7 they progressed too fast. There was no time to safeguard the ground gained, and consequently the Germans, climbing out of the dugouts, began sniping. In one underground chamber 20 Germans' quietly surrendered. They clicked their heels and saluted, and the officer offered his gold watch to an English corporal. The same correspondent, in describing the British capture of Guinchy, says; — The Irish Brigade charged cheering and shouting, ‘On Munsters, on ! On, Dublins!’ They rushed in four waves in open order at intervals of 50 yards. The left flank first reached the first halting place— a village 600 yards distantin eight minutes. It was almost a record, but the right flank was checked by three well-placed machine guns. Many men fell, while German marksmen sniped officers. It was a serious situation unless the machine gunners could be killed. Troops inside the right flank executed a brilliant piece of tactics, swung round, and attacked the machine guns from the west and the north by an encircling movement.’ He describes further the way in which ‘ the reckless Irish swept over the place, searching for the enemy,’ whose snipers were hidden everywhere in the village, and adds:—‘There was one menace which might have led to disaster but for the quick wit and fighting genius of the Irish brigades. Their astounding success in capturing the enemy front along 900 yards of ground to a depth of nearly a mile left them exposed on the flank to the north-west of the village. A young engineer officer quickly realised the situation. He took command of a body of men and dug defences on the flank, and organised strong posts against the counter-attacks. The advance of the brigade was splendid when it is remembered there were no supporting troops on either flank. Men who were ordered to remain in the village almost wept with rage.’ FRENCH CATHOLIC ADMIRALS. Ihe Irish quarterly magazine, Studies which previously gave a list of the distinguished Catholic French Generals, now tells us of the French Catholic Admirals who are supporting the best traditions of the French Navy. 1 These officers,’ says a contemporary which summarises the information supplied by Studies, ‘ are as a body, solidly and conspicuously Catholic, and the service is remarkably free from the virus of irreligion. This is in a large measure due to the fact that the personnel is chiefly recruited from Brittany and Normandy, where the old Faith is still strong, and that for years the officers and men have been coming into close contact with the missionary, have seen him at work, and have witnessed his courage and heroism.’ The Admirals whose names have been most constantly before the public in the present war as rendering distinguished service to their country are the following, and all are faithful and practical Catholics:—Boue di Lapeyrere, a kind of French ' Lord Fisher in his reorganisation of the Fleet; Lacaze, successor to the foregoing as Minister of the Navy; Dartige de Foumet, who won honor as Commander-in-Chief of the international squadron at Constantinople "during the Balkan war ; Ronarc’h a Breton, a splendid fighter and deviser of a system of mine-sweeping employed now, it is said, by the British; Guepratte, who commanded with distinction in the Dardanelles ; De Bon, Chief of Staff to the Admiralty; Le Bris and Chocheprat, successful squadron commanders; Merveilleux du Vignoux, a submarine expert and commander of the School for Naval Cadets. ‘Thus,’ says the latter journal, ‘it appears that Catholic officers form part of the very soul of the French Naw ’