Referring to the first action in which the Irish Guards took part, and
the smart businesslike way in which they cut up the Germans, Private
Heffernan, Royal Irish Fusiliers, says they had a great reception as
they marched back into the lines: "Of course, we all gave them a cheer,
but it would have done your heart good to see the Frenchmen (who had a
good view of the fighting) standing up in their trenches and shouting
like mad as the Guards passed by. The poor chaps didn't like the idea
that it was their first time in action, and were shy about the fuss made
of them: and there was many a row in camp that night over men saying
fine things and reminding them of their brand new battle honors."[D]
A fine story is told of the heroism of two Irish Dragoons by a trooper
of that gallant regiment. "One of our men," he says, "carried a wounded
comrade to a friendly farm-house under heavy fire, and when the retreat
was ordered both were cut off. A patrol of a dozen Uhlans found them
there and ordered them to surrender, but they refused, and, tackling the
Germans from behind a barricade of furniture, killed or wounded half of
them. The others then brought up a machine gun and threatened the
destruction of the farm: but the two dragoons, remembering the kindness
of the farm owners and unwilling to bring ruin and disaster upon them,
rushed from the house in the wild hope of tackling the gun.
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