'"
One of the most stirring exploits of the war--equaled only by the
devotion and self-sacrifice of the Royal Engineers in the fight for the
bridge--is that of the Irish Fusiliers in saving another regiment from
annihilation. The regiment was in a distant and exposed position, and a
message had to be sent ordering its retirement. This could only be
accomplished by despatching a messenger, and the fusiliers were asked
for volunteers. Every man offered himself, though all knew what it meant
to cross that stretch of open country raked with rifle fire. They tossed
for the honor, and the first man to start-off with the message was an
awkward shock-headed chap who, the narrator says, didn't impress by his
appearance. Into the blinding hail of bullets he dashed, and cleared the
first hundred yards without mishap. In the second lap he fell wounded,
but struggled to his feet and rushed on till he was hit a second time
and collapsed. One man rushed to his assistance and another to bear the
message. The first reached the wounded man and started to carry him in,
but when nearing the trenches and their cheering comrades, both fell
dead. The third man had by this time got well on his way, and was almost
within reach of the endangered regiment when he, too, was hit.
Half-a-dozen men ran out to bring him in, and the whole lot of this
rescuing party were shot down, but the wounded fusilier managed to crawl
to the trenches and deliver the order.
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