"THE RUNNERS"

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2929, 15 November 1916, Page 14

"THE RUNNERS"

HEROES OF THE GREAT WAR

-Theiollowing article, by "R.W.," in the "Daily Mail," tells of the "runners" who carry important messages in the front trenches. Private J. Miller, whoso "V.C." was announced recently, was one of this heroic band. He was ordered to take, an important messago and bring back a reply at all costs. Seriously hit almost immediately, lie' compressed with his hand .a gaping wound in his abdomen, delivered his message, staggered hack with the.answer; and fell dying at the feet of _ tho officer to whom ho delivered it. The British infantry have victoriously occupied the shell-mangled trenches from which they have evicted the Boohe. Tho work of consolidating the captured position is proceeding; feverishly. * The.air is filled with the swish of bullets. from the German machineguns, which play ceaselessly- on the cover their adversaries are with difficulty erecting. Thcso machino-guns, "at present, make a further advance impossible; and officers arc carefully locating their position. As sooW as the various emplacements they occupy have been detected, information will be sent back to the gunners, enabling them to knack them out. The officer' in command of . a certain suction of the captured trench has completed his..observations and writes a. short dispatch—in triplicate, for good reasons. "Runner!" he ejaculated. A. man immediately approaches him. '•• "Take this to the 0.C," savs the officer. "You'll find him at farm. You'll have a tough job, I'm afraid.' "Very good, sir," returns the runl.nor briskly. There is nothing in his

lone to denote] that lie is nbou£ 'to attempt an almost hopeless task.

The moniflut lie starts for the rear lie knows that t'ho enemy snipers aixl machine-guns ; will concentrate upon him. Even if he escapes these he will still hnvo a • terrilic bnmigo to traverse. ■•.'.

Waiting a few moments'till there is a lull in the enemy's lire, he splints across the open. The officer turns away briskly to superintend the work of consolidation, hut swings round at the cry: "He's down, sir." A glance confirms the words, and the officer takes another, dispatch from bis haversack. '••"'.

"liunner;" he exclaims in a mechanical tone:

"Yes, sir!" The officer, repeats his previous' orders. ' \ - "Need Itako my rifle land bandolier,! sir?" inquires the'runner.

"ivo,'loavc 'em behind,''-' Snips'!" returns his superior- genially. I "Snips" is not his realname, though he is so called'by all the men, and by his officers too on occasions such' aV this.' Below middle height,- he is young and of wiry build, with a sharp, intelligent face. On the football field lie has achieved fame, ami nt inside-right lias in tlie past brilliantly helped to uphold the honour of the rcgimoi tal team. There is a cheery smile on his face as ho gets over the parapet to roake a run on this other field—in this grimmer game. ' Instead of starting straight for his destination ho sprints off at a tan- v gent, then, turning in a flash, darts in another direction. The machine guns i\ie rattling away incessantly. The to watch, as- "Snips" twists and and darts, as "Snips" twists .and turns, dashes and darts in different directions, hut all the lime- drawing nearer to his goal. "Good old "Snips! Doan't i pass, laad! Take the hall on yoursenl" Such were the laughing shouts which followed him. The raltlo of the muehino guns seems to increase in' fury at their impotence to stop that dodging figure. Suddenly . "Snips" pitches forward

headlong. A husky groan comes from the broach ho has just left. "Runner!" ejaculates' the officer in the samo toneless voice as before. But a cry of: "Good lad! Good 1 old Snips!" causes him to glance quickly in that direction; and he sees.his runner again dashing on. v "Lay doggo in a shell-hole to kid the Bocho gunners," explains one of the men with pride. A few moments later "Snips" was out of danger of the machine-guns, but an even greater menace lay ahead. The enemy were putting a dense barrage between him and his destination. Ho kept on running till ho reached the shrapnel-sprayed zone he must traverse. Then ho deliberately slowed down to a walk/ A runner, according to their own code, may run under rifle but not shell fire. Luck was with "Snips," for> he passed through the inferno unscathed and delivered his dispatch.

"Snips" is on his. way, back, bearing a written message from the O.C. He realises that the enemy shell fire is -even greater than before as fie readies the barrage. He trudges sturdily through it. Suddenly with a gasp of i pain ho falls to the ground. For-a moment he writhes with agony, then with his clasp-knife-he rips the cloth around his knee, laying baro a ragged •wound. Though quivering with pain ho | takes out his bandages and, stoically |. binds it up. With an'effort ho stands ■up oil his sound leg, and his face twists as he puts the other to the ground. Ho means to go forward, and does so, though slowly and suffering agony.

Shrapnel falls on every side of him with ominous "plnits." Ho struggles on and on dizzily, and well aware tliat he has lost idea of direction. By sheer will-power he staggers forward. Then he hears a buzz of voices and he is gripped by ;i strong hand.

"Steady, lad, you'vo come to the front trench. The 'first aid' is the other wily," exclaims an officer to whom he is unknown. For an instant 'Snips' " pain-drawu

face lights up,,, as with a lurch lie thrusts out his dispatch.

"I'm a runner; sir," he murmurs dazedly; then slides limply to tlio ground.