74
The Ypres Times.
The Senior N.C.O. at the guns was No. 52967
B.S.M. Gray F., M.M. This N.C.O.with utter
disregard for his own safety, was at all times
present helping to extricate men in blown in
dug-outs and went round cheering those still
imprisoned under fallen timber, carried on his back
to the dressing station the wounded and removed
the killed from the gun position. During part of
the shelling a relief of four N.C.O's. who had
arrived were hit by a shell, all being wounded.
B.S.M. Gray at once lifted them and carried them
to the dressing station. On returning he went to
the guns and helped to rescue men from the
burning gun pits and did not leave the position
until all had been cleared to safety.
He afterwards organised the N.C.O's. and men
of the battery still under shell fire and not'until
he was satisfied that every man was accounted
for did he report to his officer.
The same night orders were received for the
battery to move forward to the St. Julien Road
into advanced positions, and this gallant N.C.O.,
although almost exhausted, helped to move into
the new position which was under shell fire the
whole time.
The battery detachments were taken back to
Kitchener's Wood for the night and early next
morning B.S.M. Gray, who had previously placed
his men in detailed shelters, collected them and
led them to the new position through a very
heavy barrage of H.E. and gas shells.
The only officer available to proceed with them
was Gapt. M. Carberry, M.C., afterwards receiving
the D.S.O., and B.S.M. Gray the D.C.M., for this
gallant work.
CONSOLATION PRIZES.
G. W. SMITH, Exchange Street, Driffield.
Many brave deeds were done in France, generally
in the execution of duty or on someone else's
behalf, but an incident that happened on April
24th, 1915, has always stuck ip my mind as about
the pluckiest thing I ever saw.
Daylight broke on that morning, strangely,
after a midnight charge and found us facing a
wood, quite close to it in fact, depleted to a third
of our strength and somewhat in the air."
The wood had been at the back of the Germans,
but was now our front. Behind and to the right
was a patch of mustard which proved to be both
a haven and a death trap. Behind and to the
left, away clear of tire wood, was open ground,
within view and under enfilading fire of the enemy.
Here lay many still forms in khaki, all dead
apparently. But no, one or two raised an arm or
yelled or moaned to us for helpbut after three
whole men in succession had been put out of
action, in going to their help, the officer in charge,
a man and a brother, forbade anyone else to leave
the trench. So we looked front and shut our
ears. Then later someone spotted one of ours
moving, an inch at a time it seemed and then a
long rest. He appeared to be digging himself
along on his elbows and dragging his body after
him. Again he moved and agarn a long rest.
The fellows became interested. They watched.
They yelled encouragement and urged him to
stick it, Jack." He heard us and waved nis arm,
almost in thanks and appreciation it would seem.
They became more interested in him than in
the counter-attack for which they waited. They
betted on his making the grade," and when he
moved forward their hopes went up in cheers, and
when the long rest came silence expressed their
dread that at last he was done in.
It must have taken him four long hours to do
that forty odd yards till he disappeared behind
the cover of a hedge and we saw him go hoping
that his pluck had got him through, for his heart
wa-, still good, as his farewell signal testified.
Whether he ever made the dressing station, we
never learnt, for though we passed that' way later
on our way out-weary and very much in single
fileit was unwise to linger.
CHARLES W. PRESTON,25,Hatchland's Road, Redhill.
On March 2nd, 1917, I was sitting inside a lean-to
attached to theHamburg PillboxonthePasschaen-
daele sector of the Salient. From the entrance I
could see K and Judas tracks and between the two
there was a battery of field guns in what had been
a small wood. Up the Judas track came a carry
ing party from the battalion in reserve to usthe
1st The Queen's. The men were each earring a
duckboard on their backs, and leading them was
a young officer. Suddenly there descended in a
long line crossing the track a salvo of shells
directed at the battery. The barrage line spread
across the trail of the carrying party. One shell
burst a few feet from the side of the track, blowing
the boards into the air. One man staggered,
clutched at his head, and fell with the duckboard
on the top of him. Another crescendo of shells
descended. The officer glanced round, ran back
through that hell to the prostrate man and
bandaged him. Another line of shells strung across
the track and when the smoke cleared that little
group was still there. The scene had been
witnessed from the Aid Post.at Tynne Cotts and
men came from there carrying a stretcher, on
which the wounded man was placed. The officer
collected up his men, they went on carrying the
duckboard tracksit was but routine. Later
there proceeded down that same track a little
procession of men earring shoulder high a stretcher,
bearing a blanket-wrapped individual.
H. J. MORRIS, 15, Everington Street, Hammersmith,
London, W.
On July 30th, 1915, C. Coy., 6th D.C.L.I., were
holding the edge of Zouave Wood, Hooge, with
only one officer (Lieut. F. Hulton-Sams The
Fighting Parson), in command. The Germans
were trying hard to dislodge us from our position
by the use of liquid fire, but Hulton-Sams was
continuously up and down the trench urging us to
hang on and also helping with the wounded. He
discovered that we had no water or rations with
us and decided to get water somehow for the
wounded. I won't be long," he said, as he
crawled over the back of the trench, and made a
dash through the wood, which was being peppered
with heavies and shrapnel, to try and reach
headquarters and bring water back with him.
But he gave his life in the attempt.
