THE LAST MAN KILLED.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16410, 2 January 1919, Page 7

THE LAST MAN KILLED.

ILL-LUCK OF A 1914 VETERAN. The last men -who fell before the hour of the armistice struck (writes Mr Beach Thomas in the "Daily Mail") were two German gunners some distance to the east of Ath. The town, firmly held by the enemy on Sunday morning, wap finally c.apturcd in the evening by the East Lanes, of that gallant 55th Divisioni which broko the German plans at Givenchy in April. They slipped a Lewis gun into an upper room and, covering the advance with its fire, rushed the barricade that defended the principal entrance. Soon after, the troops entered they found a man in civilian clothes in the furious hands of the inhabitants of Ath. He was a German who had disguised himself in civilian clothes so as to uso his machine-gun with the greater 6afety, so they said. The cavalry, including King Edward's Horse, encircled the town, and at 10.3") on Monday morning had found a German battery. This thfcy had surrounded on two sides and were just attacking -when the news came through that the armistice was to begin at eleven. For a few minutes the fight proceeded, but as the hour struck the "Cease Fire!" was Rounded. Two Germans had fallen just before the news came. The last deaths are the saddest things in war. On the outskirts of Ath is'the grave of an English cyclist who hacli fought continuously since August 1911, and was killed on Monday morning by a chance shot.