NAVVY POET'S ESCAPE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2668, 13 January 1916, Page 9

NAVVY POET'S ESCAPE

NEARLY BURIED ALIVE IN LOOS BATTLE. - Rifleman Patrick Mac Gill, the Navvy Poet, who was recently married, narrowly escaped being buried alive during the battle of Loos. He was tbree days' and three nights without rest. Then he took" an opportunity that presented itself and went to sleep 011 an old door that was lying in a building which had been badly battered by shell fire. When he awoke he found himself by the side of a grave, where two men were being buried. There were two soldiers in charge, and when JlacGill began to stir one of them exclaimed: "Good God, is that you, Pat ? We thought you were dead 1" They had carried him out 011 the door, thinking him dead, and were 'on the point of burying him when lie awoke. Mac Gill took the door back to bis old resting-place to finish his sleep when a shell came and lifted tlie roof off bodily. Tiles fell in hundreds, but by crouching against the wall Mac Gill saved himself. During tbe folitjng at Loos a piece of shrapnel .smashed the poet-soldier's knapsack and broke off the butt end of an automatic pistol inside it. This pistol the rifleman has presented to a friend at Windsor. _ 011 another occasion JlacGill left a section of the trench where seven men were in occupation and went round a corner to do some writing. Shortly after a shell burst amongst the seveii, and all were killed except, two, who were badly wounded. Mac Gill's wounded wrist is practically healed. He wishes the .war was over, but says he would not have missed the experiences he has had for the world.