"RECKLESS IRISH"

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2452, 4 May 1915, Page 15

"RECKLESS IRISH"

« CONNAUGHT RANGERS TO THE RESCUE. The story of a fight in which Irish and Scotch combined against the enemy with deadly effect, has been graphically told by Private Robert M'Gregor, of the Gordon Highlanders, in a letter to his father at Parkshead, England. He writes:— "On the night of December 26 we were informed that the Germans would make an attack on our trenches, so not an eye was closed that night. About four o'clock we thought it was a false alarm, and settled down to enjoy forty winks, when their artillery opened fire on us. Our trenches for two miles were a V shape, and the 'Huns' seemed to direct all their guns on this part, but, thanks to their marksmanship, our immediate neighbourhood didn't get much attention at first. "We were near what I think you call the apex of the V, and howling and screaming shells passed well over' us until we heard the throbbing of an aeroplane. "Then we saw the Huns advancing ai unconcerned as if on parade. On they came in close formation, and there must have been ten to one against us. We fired as hard as we could, but they seemed to come out of nowhere, and _ never halted. When they ' were getting too close we' charged. It was our only chance. When they saw us leave the trenches they halted for a moment, but afterwards came on to meet us. I don't remember much of what took place then. "It was a stab and hack, hack and stab. You could hear the smash of Kim against gun. the thud, thud, but beyond this there was an uncanny silence broken sometimes by an oath and groan. We drove them hack about one hundred yards. Our officers saw the Germans reinforced, and sounded the retreat, but owing to few machine-guns we couldn't get back to our trenches. The Germans, now greatly increased, came on again, and our fellows, only about 170 left, got ready to meet what seemed certain annihilation. "But just at that moment we heard tbe sound of singing, and the song was 'God Save Ireland.' It was the Connaugh Rangers coming to our relief. Well, I have seen some reckless Irishmen in my time, but nothing to match the recklessness and daring of these gallant Rangers.' They took the Germans on the left flank.

"The Germans now would probably number about 2000 against 800 Connoughts and 70 of ns, but had there been 50,000 Germans I don't believe in my soul they could have stood before the Irish. They simply were irresistible, and all the timo they kept singing 'God Save Ireland,' One huge redhaired- son of' Erin having broken his rifle, got possession of a German officer's sword, and everything that came in the way of this giant went down. I thought of Wallace. Four hundred and seventy Huns were killed and wounded, and we took seventy prisoners. fiad it not been for the Irish I wouldn't be writing this, and vhon it comes to a hand-to-haml job there is nothing in the whole British Army to approach them. God save Ireland and Irishmen."

Norway possesses, no fewer than 213" steamers and 002 sailing ships, besides 209 motor ships as deep sea craft. J'irst U6e<l by the Chinese, as a machine for irrigation, the treadmill was introduced into English prisons in 1817.