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Show QUICK THINKING SAVES SOLDIER British Sergeant Tells of Daring Exploit in Letter to Rector. Em HAND BOMS AND RUNS Wins Promotion and the Distinguished-Conduct Distinguished-Conduct Medal for Sensational Escape From German Patrolling Patrol-ling Squad Saved From Prison by Bomb. Loudon. Captured by a German patrolling pa-trolling squad, escaping through the use of a hand bomb which was overlooked over-looked when he was searched and narrowly nar-rowly escaping with his life in a rain of shell fire are some of the experiences experi-ences which won promotion for Sergt. Ai'thur James Brooke and also the distinguished-conduct medal. In a letter to the rector of the church at his home in Manchester, which was printed recently re-cently in an English newspaper, Sergeant Ser-geant Brooke gives the details of his daring escape: "I can hardly tell how thankful I am in being able to write you this day after the troubled experiences of Sunday Sun-day night last. I have had many exciting ex-citing times previous to this occasion, but nothing to be compared with this ast one. I took out my party of scouts at half-past six in the evening and arranged ar-ranged them in various positions acrons the marshes. Having done this I remained with one small party. "Everything seemed all right, so off I went myself to push farther on. But before doing so I intended seeing another an-other small party in another position on my way. I got as far as my men should be, but could not find them anywhere. any-where. Something was wrong somewhere, some-where, 1 thought. Suddenly I heard someone coming and, it being a very dark night, I could not see who it was. They passed me toward our position. I looked around to see if anybody else was coming and I saw another man. "Up went my rifle at ready and I said, 'Who are you?' " 'Working party,' was the reply in good English. Dropped Patrol With Shot. " 'Come he: e, working party,' I said. He came until I saw he was a German, ind then he dropped at a phot from ny best friend, my rifle. 1 then turned ;o do those who had passed me some-iing some-iing also and did Bucceed in damag-ng damag-ng one or two. However, they came !rom all directions for me and soon lad me a prisoner. They took away ny best pal, the rifle, and my ammunition ammuni-tion Next went my cap. Following this the beautiful scarf which you sent was taken from me, also my letters. "After they had got enough souvenirs souve-nirs half a dozen of them commenced l.o drag me toward their village. While I was being taken away i terrible struggle was taking place between one other scout and other Germans in a wood. This half dozen took me about two hundred yards toward the village ind then left only one tall man. over six feet, with me. Now was a chance for me, I thought. I said a short prayer pray-er asking him to help me get back to my comrades safely. "Then 1 suddenly thought of a bomb which I had carried with me. It was not in a pocket where I had put my other things, but was in a slit in my leather jacket. 1 suppose that is the reason they overlooked it. for it was still there. I then managed to get It uut. but found I could not pull out the safety pin with only my right arm. Howevr. 1 (lid the trick by hitting him on his temple with It, dropping him without a word. Off I made as fast as my legs would carry me, and at once out came another lot to get me. "Still the bomb was left. 1 stopped, pulled out the pin and threw the bomb among them. It put more of them out of the tight, but still they kept after me. They were only a few yards from retaking me when our machine gun opened lire on them. I was safe from tbm then, but was in danger of being ihot down by our own gun which had ballad them. I got within a short distance dis-tance of our position when a German gun commenced to shell all around "I was blown from place to place and in the early hours of the morning I found myself in a large shell hole half buried with dirt, where I must have lain a long time. 1 got home again later, safe and sound, suffering only from a bad head. My watch was lost, as the Germans took that and smashed it before my eyes. Our commanding officers were very pleased with me for getting away and doing what I did. At the same time I was told I had been given the distinguished conduct medal for my work. I had a line reception from our men and have since been made a sergeant as a result of it." |
