1915-02-06 — Page 8

THE HONG KONG TELEGRAPH.

FOR BELGIUM.

THE REDEMPTION-PRICE OUR ARMY IS PAYING:

THE REV. OWEN SPENCER WATKINS DESCRIBES THE BATTLE OF YPRES-ARMENTIERES.

[The following article by the Bev. Omon S. Watkins, who is with the 14th Field Ambulance, 6th Division, British Expedi- tionary Force, appears in the Methodist Recorder :-)

Gorve

was able to resume work.

miserable and hangry that wo gave him some bully beef and bread, and when he'd wolfed' that we gave him some cigarettes and then marched him off to the Pro-

were

The Call to the North,

EXTRA

HONGKONG, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1915,

it come out hero."

¿

The Redemption Price.

Of the days that followed I find myself quite incapable of writing ao pen could do justice to our men, truly picture the fierceness of the fighting, adequately de-

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of

•

GERMAN'S BOLD FEAT

An Extraordinary Story,

on... hume

'17

upon the exhausted troops of the were pounding with heavy lyd place the road was almost impass- Second Army Corps, but the need dite shell-it seemed as though able even on foot a great shell Chaplains found opportunities of In these 65aior days" the was such that he could not do every inch of the bill must have had burst in the middle of the holding services amongst min, otherwise. How constantly one ben searched by auob continuous road making a huge hole which many of whom had not had the heard the ory in these days, "If fro, and that a fly could not have stratöbed right across it. A sharp obance of attending public wor only England bad listened to Lord lived in it. The only living thing torn and we were on a cart track ship for over three months, and Roberts we should not now have on the hill as far as I know was crossing open felde. Tais is all of these services were fraught been short of trained men," whilst an officer of the Royal Artillery.very unhealthy bit," said my with ferrant thanksgiving and in the trenches the troops grimly sit in a tower on the hill top companion casually. We always praise. Amongst those whom in a Dunkirk journal, which joked. "I suppose there is a Kitobserving and telephoning get sniped" bera, and there's no 1 met for the first time during vouched in the most positive The following story appeared shener's Army, but none of us back information to our bat cover. Do you hear them? these days was the Rev. A. J. term for its accuracy: poor beggara will ever live to sea teries... For a month the hill was Zip-zip buza, ping! Yes, I beard Balliar, of the Irish Methodist shelled by the enemy, and during it, and was devoutly thankful Church, who is serving God, and the whole time the Artillery when at last a farm was reached, his King and Country in the Roy brought into Calais, the other A French. ambulance train officers took their turn, a day at and Chesney said, "Hore we are, al Artillery. His friends will be day, a wounded youth, apparently a time, in the tower, and not one Padre; Matthews should be some pleased to know that he is well about eighteen years of age, whose of them was hit. The little town where about." In a few minutes and happy, and in no way the wasted features and air of sadness of Dranoutre bad not suffered Lieutenant Matthews, RA.M.C., worse for the experiences through attracted to him the general at- much from shell fire, but it was appeared and led us to where his which he has passed indeed to tention of the hospital ward. To vost Marshal," Which thing is seribs the sufferinga which our well within range of the German wounded were collected in the him hes beon given an unique the amazement of everyone, when I left off in my story of the characteristic of Tommy Atkins, troops so heroically endured. gune, and it was feared that at farm kitchen. "Sorry, Padre, pilgrimage and work of the 14th God bless him. Field Ambulance, at that point During these days I found it hord have men had to face such odds, bursting in our midet. So the bad a busy time with the wound.

Never in the history of our Army any moment shells might be bat the grave isn't dug yet. We've Opportunity of exercising a true the blankets in which he had been

Christian ministry.

wapped had been removed by the where the Division was for the to decide what Division or what sadure such hardship or stand Field Ambulance was ordered to ed, but as soon as we've got them received a great surprise-I wadingy grey uniform of the German On November 23 I personally nurses, he was seen to be in the time being acting as "Corps Re Army we belonged to-part of against such an appalling ortill-dig itself io."

with the ery fire as did the British Ex-first time in the history of the the wounded on their way I prosovon days leave of absence, and belonged to the 35th Prussian In- Probably for the off it shall be done." Having seen informed that I had been granted soldiers. His badge showed that he "to the Meerat Division. the time we Of the first week that we were at Moorut Division, at another time peditionary Force during the Royal Army Medical Corps, the ceeded to a neighbouring farm was to proceed to England on the fantry Regiment. How had he tached to the Indian Army I know we were attached to the Lahore closing days of October and the men of the Corps were employed where was the headquarters of morning of the 25:a. It seemed been smuggled into Calais among little, for the cold, raw mists of Division, and nominally we were first half of November. To the digging shelter tronches, and con- the Regiment, and there waited too good to be true. Of our wounded French soldiers? this land of dykes and mud flats part of the Second Army. Several First Army Corps fall the beavistruoting bomb-proof shelters until word came that the pioneera journey by motor bas (which a wakened in my blood my almost times I heard of Mr. Kuoltour ent share of the fighting, and "funk hales" the mincall them) had finished their task, and the fow weeks before had been plying forgotten enemy malarial fever, Chaplain from India-but I never probably the story of the con- to which our sick and wounded grave was ready. I wish I could in the London streets) from @niform evoked in the war', the "Steing the Batonishment his and it was entirely due to the mot him; the fates seemed to flat round Ypres never will be could be moved if necessary. picture that farmhouse kitchen; Bailleul to Bulagne I need not young German pointed to a picos kindness of Colonel Crawford that decrae that our meeting should be sold in detail, nor will it ever be Quite an imposing line of tranches it would help you to realise the write, nor of the crossing to Folke of pink cardboard which was pin I was not invalided to the base, not yet. Of his work I was told kaown at how heavy a cost in was constructed in the field op hardships that are being faced by stone; suffice it to say that ni ned to his tanic. On it was writ and my connection with the Field again and again, and a Guaner human lives that victory was posite our home, and Captain officers and men. Quite cosy, five in the morning I was within ten in French German sol- Ambulance brought to an in- belonging to one of the Indian won. The flower of the German Lindsay, who superintended the aren't we?" said the Adjutant; sound and read of the guas, glorious close. Field Ambul. Batterios asid, "He's a bit of all Army was obecked and pushed carrying out of the work, was "iacky to have say billet at all, at 3.30 p.m. I was in London 'brough his courage he saved dier. To be given every care. ance is not supposed to burden it right, Sir. One of the best. A back, the invincible Prussian justly proud of the RA.MU. and this is warm, even if it isn't the change was ed great that it twelve Belgian soldiers frora Eolf with sick, but to evacuate into real pukks soldiers' Padre." Guard was annihilated, the dash defences.

exactly clean." But what a place was almost overwhelming. the nearest Clearing Hospital;

for Calais and the Channel ports

hoing shot by the Germans." The The ordinary work of the Amit wind A large square room On Sunday, November 15, the failed, but the losses in the Firat balance at this time was of neces with heavily timbered ceiling, however, in my case an exception

The King's Visit to the Front.

authenticity of this statement was was made. With so many doctors call" of which sir John French Army Corps, and in the Third sity done at night, for it was im lighted by one candle, and a fire at the front-refreshed by the the Belgian General Staf, and December 1 saw me back again duly warranted by the stamp of to advise, prescribe, and treat me, had "poken in his message to the Division (Second Army Corps) possible to reach the trenches in loga in the great open chimney. change of the past few days, and the signature of the major of the I made a speedy recovery, and troops came, and we trekked were such that we in Flanders daylight. The line held by the Indescribably filthy-both Ger- better able to meet whatever medical service, after a week or ten days' misery north in the direction of Bailleul. have never ceased to marvel that 14th Infantry Brigade was along mans and French had occupied it might com).

The maroh was not a very long there was not an instadt rally of so extended a front, that many of before our people-the windows time to be present when His Ma- described how he had won his

I arrived just in By that time we were establish- one, but it lives in our memory all the able-bodied young men in the nightly journeys of the am blocked with straw so that the jesty the King visited and in enemies regird. Although not The young German himself ed at La Gorgue-Estaires, the in- by reason of its discomfort; cold, the Empire to supply our pressing balance waggons exceeded ter enemy might not see the light spected the 14th Brigade. It was yet nineteen, he had been drafted fantry supposed to be resting in piercing wind, then driving sleet need for men. The Regular Army miles there and back; and beyond and fire at it, for at this point a great sight to see these veterans into the army, and after a fort- billets allday, and at night occupy and finally cold, incessant fain. has been literally laying down its the point to which waggonacould British and German lines were who had been fighting without night spent in learning to handle ing the reserve trenches, but That night we billeted at a farm life to hold the enemy in check; be taken in safety, was a "carry" only filty yards apart. Lying rest from the beginning of the a rifle in Darracks had been sent in reality doing nearly as much just south of Meteren, the next until the New Armies being train of over a milo. What it means about sleeping on the stone floor war drownup to meet their King to the front ia Belgium. At time in the front line trenches. day continuing our march through ed in England are fit to take the to carry a wounded man over a were the officers who happened to and what a cheer they gave Dixnude he was ordered to make Major Fawcett was in command Bailleul across the Belgian field. Lives are being pouted out mile in a stretcher, across rough be off duty, all fully dressed and him. Dressed in the khaki uni- one of a firing party told off to of the advanced dressing station, frontier, to the little town of like water which need not have folds and in iaky darkness can. he in their equipment, plastered with form of a Staff Officer, and no execute twelve Belgian soldiers and during the days that followed Dranoutre. On this march I had been encrificet if the youth of our better imagined than described. mud from head to foot, unshaven, companied by the. Trinca of who had been taken prisoners he, and the junior officers with an opportunity of judging the land had been ready and trained. In order that my readers may dirty, ankempt-I could hardly Wales, His Majesty inspected bis and him, did exceptionally good work. spirit and fitness of the Infantry, The Fifth Division (with which better understand what doctora recognise any of them. "Look troops, and pinnad on V.C.'s other condemned to death, The Once they were severely. shelled, which were superb. It was hard I am serving) was not in this fiero: and bearers were facing every bit cramby, don't we?' laughed D.S.O.'s and D.C.M.'s to officers

pralext OL. and it almost looked as though to believe that these were the same est fighting. To them had bees night of the week, I will try and a subaltern;" but we've had ten and men who had well-earned their innocence. The condemned young German was convinced of they would have to retire, but men whose condition a fortnight assigned the task, first of support describe ons suoli night journey. days of it, and could all do with them. Overhead was the hum of Belgians were brought out to die though the projectiles fell within before had seemed so deplorable. ing, and when necessary relier An Unhealthy Climate. a wash and a abave." Then out the engines of an seroplane scout at a farm close to the railway a few yards of the buildings they Clean, shaven, smart, the lines on ing, the Indian Army, and in the All day long there had been into darkness to where the grave keeping watch and guard, and in line, rebind which loy the were occupying, nothing was hit, their faces which had seemed to second phase of the month-long heavy shell and rifle fire, and just was waiting. and the bombardment was not make old men of them all vanish battle holding a long line of tron before the first lot of Ambulance

the distance, the ramble of guns, trenches of the Allies. repeated. Their chief trouble was ed; the look in their eyes which chee with a force, which, in point waggons started out there came the Pioneer Sergeant; "but fighting line. Then more cheers "Bit of an attack on, Sir," said for we were on the edge of the that when they went up to the had never ceased to haunt me, no of numbers, was utterly inade-message that the Caurch of Eog- they're firing high and all the for the King, and a surprise. given, when the youth, crying, trenches at night to fatoh wound-longer there; they looked capable quate for such a purpose, Day and Chaplain was needed, so the bullets are going well overhead; The Dake of Cornwall's Light Shooting innocent mea is not ed-agalways it was impossible to of responding to any "call" after, day they sustained s agu- Rev. D. P. Winnifrith accompani- they don't matter. But there's & Infantry had a cheer to themselves war, stretched the officer in com approach them in daylight--they the faucet troops in the world. tinual bombardment from heavy ed them. By the time the next sniper who seems to have a line for the Dake of Cornwall." mand of the firing party dead with were persistently "sniped." One They had not and their long artillery; night after night they party-going in the opposite di on that grave. It's so dark that Looking rather surprised and very a shot from his riff. In the con of them described it to me ne promised rest, but they had had rolled back the fierce attacks of reolion-were ready to start, it's cera'n he can't see us but he young, the Prince of Wales et sped Belgians and the young German "half a mile of the unhealthiest change, and with the wonderful the German infantry. No reliefs, another message bad comeasking seems to have a sort of iastinot; ped forward and a knowledged the

fusion that followed the condemn- bit of road I have ever yet struck, recuperative power of the British no reserves," a thin khaki line, for a Chaplain, ao I, too, sat out as sure as we go near the place he greeting of his own regiment with scattered and made a bult for the As sure as we pass a certain point soldier the wonder of all who doggedly holding in cheok the the other officere in the party be begins firing. There you are, a salate. As the Rogal motor car Allied trenches, The execution ping, ping, ping go the ballets all know him they were rejuvenat overwhelming German hosts, ing around us, and it's impossible in ed. Over incredibly bad roads Day by day thoy dag themselves Lieutenant Chesney. I need not ain't a good shot,"

Captain Lindsay and air; he's at it again. Lucky he passed from our sight, we could party, as soon as they had recover- the darkness to discover where often up to their boot tops in nearer to the enemy's lines, until describe the trek in the darkness

trace its cours by the obeers ed from the stupefaction caused My sad task done, there follow which came from the troops by their comrade'e deed, sent they are coming from," So mud, they marohed, with a swing in some places the opposing over well-nigh impassable roads, ed the lonely tramp back in the through which it passed, and volley after volley after them. serious at last became the menace that would have done credit to a forces were only forty and fifty until after some miles we reached darkness, firat over the "un- marked that it was travelling 14 for obvious reasone is suppresBod to all trafic that a systematic Royal Review on Laffan's Plain, yards apart. The weather bad cross-roads where the waggons healthy stretch of road, then the direction of the trenches. Bearch of the countryside was and as they marched they chanted now become Arctic-heavy falls halted-beyond this, even in the along dark ways where our own Later we heard that the King had fell, shot through the left undertaken by the Provost Marsh their war song, "It's a long, long of srow, bitter frost and the dark, it was not safe to take the, sentries were the chief danger, gone well up into the firing line; leg and left arm, a hundred al and his military polios, assisted way to Tipperary." It seemed conditions in the trenches simply waggona. So we continued on and finally, about four a.m.; had watched batteries at work, A lively fire was now set up from by the Infantry, with the result hardly possible that for three baffle description: Frost bite was our way with the bearer squads Dranoatre. Mr. Winnifrith, and had actually obtained a

yards from the railway line. that in other neighbourhoods a solid months they had been fight-common, and the marvel was how carrying their streichers. Another found, had not yet returned, and bird's-eye view of the soone of the the trenches, which drove the par- number of snipera were captured ing without a single rasl day's any troops, especially man who 400 yards and we reached a rain-it was two hours later when he recent fighting, from a hill which suing Germans back and the and "aniping" for the time being rest; As they crossed the Belgian had already passed through such ed cottage the roof and the up arrived, having had a longer trek none of us would have exactly twelve Belgians and their liberat cessed. In our vicinity, however, frontier their spirits rose. This hardships, could continue to en- prr storey had been carried away but a similar experience to my called "healthy" The effect of were brought into the Allies' there was no change antil at last is better than the last time we dure, and fight a magnificently by a shell explosion-this was the own, a capture was made. A detech-crossed it, ain't it, Sir? Then we All that could be done for them Regimental aid post of the Esat

His Majesty's visit to the front it

lines in safety. ment of infantry found a German was on the run, having got more was done. Warm gost skin coate Surrey Regiment, and here we

would be impossibio to Relaforcement and Relief, soldier in fall uniform, biding in than we wanted at Mons, but now were issued in them the men found Lieutenant Eccles, R.A.M.

aatimato. To the whole The young German has sincs the roof of an empty house. For the boot's on the other leg. Now, looked more like Teddy Bears C., with a house full of wounded. a perceptible change in the spiration, and the proud know fastened by a riband in the About November 20 there was peditionary Foros it means ia ing his cardboard badge of merit been sent to England, still west ten days he had lived in our lines, if we could only capture Kaiser than British soldiers charcoal "Not very good quarters, are situation, and the strain lifted. ledge that the King cares for, and Belgian coloure.-Reuter. his only food raw potatoes, and Bill, or even 'Old Oas O'clook braziers were sent out to the they, Padre? I bad quite a nice The Gorman infantry attacks is interested in his soldiers-be every night he had gone forth to (General Von Kluck) we might trenches, warm clothing from house this morning, but they cansed; their big gan fire was not himself has been to see us, and do his deadly work. He said get home for our. Christmas Din- friends at home" was distribat shelled as out of it, and half an nearly so heavy, and what there has seen with his own eyes what that the company to which he nera after all.":

ed, and under the efficient hour after we left thera wasn't was of it lacked the effectiveness we are doing for King and belonged had been nearly exter- At Dranontre the Field Ambul- organisation of the Army Service one stone left standing on another of that which had preceded it country. minated in a recent night attack, ance was billeted in the village Corps, they were better fed than and this was the best we could large numbers of their shells fell A Postscript of Gratitude, only ton men were left. So the school, whilst the principal inn, troops in the field have ever been. get within reasonable reach of the without exploding. News cams I have exceeded my space, so have been getting two and three Colonel had sent for them and or cataminet, was converted into before. But when all is said, the trenches. No, I haven't any dead that the second desperate attempt must conclude, but before doing mail bage full a day, and to send Baid, "You are no good as a dressing station and operating fact remaine that they suffered for you to bury 1 buried them to break through at Ypres had so I should again like to express merely postcarda in acknow- company, so you had better all room. The infantry-over a more than can be put into words, myself this morning when we had been driven off with heavy loss, my thanks to the many friends ledgment moana a consider get off into the English lines; you greatly extended line, alao-pro- and no praise is too high for the to move. Hope you don't mind, and we were no longer a thin who have sent me comforts for the able labour. So well have I been will be more useful there as ceeded to take over trenches from officers and men of the lafantry but I did my beat, and said a khaki line," for reinforcements use of the troops. I have tried to supplied with gifts that for the snipers then you are here," and the Fronck, and our Allies were during these trying weeks. prayer or two over the grave." had arrived, and tehind us now soknowledge every parcel, at any przient I have no farther need of they went, though each know that hurried off to strengthen the line Entrenching the Fleld Leaving Captain Lindsay with were masses of fresh troops and rate with a postcard, and I am body-buite, mufflere, or mittens he would never return. Our men at a point where the pressure was

Ambulance, d anfficient bearers to deal with the batteries of heavy guns which sure all will realise that it is not the things I am in crying need of talking of it afterwards said, "O greater. The gravity of the

wounded, Lieutenant Cheaney outranged anything the Germans possible for me to do more. But and myself with the remainder of could bring against us. Then though postcard seems a small the bearers antiqued on our way came relief for the war-worn men acknowledgment of auch genero while such things slipped coffee are, notepaper and envelopes, to the lines of the Duke of Corn in the trenches, and the promise sity, yet it is meant to express a and milk, and cocoa and milk, o

indelibla pencils and candles, wall's Light Infantry. Af one of at last a real rust

gratitude that is almost beyond a luxury prized by the men,

The solosl-house which na 00- course we should have shot him, situation-only partly roslised by capied by the 14th Field Ambul not taken him prisoner he'd ourselves has besa made known ance looked over the folds to killed seven of ours besides those in Sir John Franoh's dospatch, Mont Kommel, which from early he'd wounded. Bat he looked so also his reluctance to so soon call morning until dark the Germans

a

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to over-

The crder to fire was about to

The German hia name

words. Daring the past week I

are