Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 January 1915 — IS HERO OF HEROES [ARTICLE]

IS HERO OF HEROES

Corporal Rewarded for Repeated Acts of Gallantry. with 25 Men He Occupies New German Trench and Defends It Against Whole Company—Rescues Officer Under Fire. By R. FRANKLIN TAT^. (International News Service.) Paris—Corporal Phillip of the Twen-ty-fourth Colonial Infantry is a brave of braves. He had been awarded the military medal for repeated acts of gallantry in this war. When his lieutenant fell wounded and the Germans were running up to capture him the corporal rushed in under their heavy fire and rescued his officer under their very noses. He is the kind of man who comes at once to the front when the situation is desperate. The other day the colonel sent for him and said: “Phillip, I know you are a gallant fellow, and that is my reason for intrusting you with an extremely perilous mission. At nightfall you will take 25 men and go to the crest yonder, where German soldiers are seen digging a trench. You are to endeavor to remain there in concealment till the morning, when you will return and report what you have seen.” At nightfall away went the little party. On reaching the crest the corporal saw German engineers digging a trench, whileca sentry kept guard. Hiding 24 of his men in a little wood, he took the twenty-fifth man with him, saying: “When we*get near the German sentry and he cries, ‘Wer da!’ you must keep apart from me, to the left, and make a noise with your bayonet, so as to make him turn your way. Then, no matter what he does or what I do, lie down and await my orders.” Stealthily the two approached so near the sentry that they could hear him softly humming a tune. Then Phillip moved to the right and intentionally made a slight noise. “Wer da!”- challenged the sentry. Instantly the soldier keeping to the left rattled his bayonet, and the German turned toward him. At the same moment Phillip was on him, running him through the body twice with his bayonet. His aim had been so true that the sentry dropped dead without a cry. The men working vigorously in the trench twenty or thirty yards away had heard nothing. Quicker than a quick-change artist the corporal donned the dead man’s helmet and cloak and seizing his rifle began pacing up and down in his stead. Every now and then as he passed he rolled the body a little farther away. At last the trench was ready, and the Germans retired to the main body, calling a friendly good-by to the sentry. who, without a word continued on his beat. But they had no sooner disappeared than helmet and cloak were flung to the ground and the corporal was running toward the wood. A few minutes later the 26 French infantrymen were installed in the German trench.

At daybreak a Bavarian company marched up to occupy the trench. The men, all unsuspecting, were chatting and-joking. A few yards away from the trench a murderous fire greeted them- They attempted to rush it, but 26 rifles kept mowing them down, and finally the survivors broke and fled —all except 18, who threw 1 up their hands. A few days later the corporal was shoti.in the right arm and shoulder, but refused to go to the ambulance. He fought on for the next 24 hours. In the thick of the fighting he shot a German officer, who fall. The corporal ran forward to bring him in, but the officer, drawing his revolver, fired the last shot, the bullet shattering the corporal’s shoulder. The Frenchman had strength. enough to heat out hi* enemy’s brains with the butt end of his rifle, but then he collapsed with pain and lefts of blood.

A New Pitcher. "Henry, the baby shouldn’t have been given that hard rubber ball. He ju*t thrown it at his slater and made her cry.” “I saw It happen. Wonderful, wasn’t it?” - "What was wafideffarr mr iitsir cub threw It with a curve 1’