"BRAVESTOF THE BRAVE"

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 304, 17 September 1920, Page 4

"BRAVESTOF THE BRAVE"

DEATH OF' FRANCOIS SALAUN. Some time in 1917 a parly of soldiers from New Caledonia who had seen se.rvico at the front, and who, after ieci'uitinK from wounds were again en route ?o Se, passed through- AVeUinelon. Thev were given a reception at the Town Half and"several of*eparty made many friend in. the city. Among these was Francois Salaun, a native of New Ca edonia, who had distinguished himscl by winning the Crols do Guerre. at DouonVo t-4 born fighter, and a membei-of the Gth-Eegiment of Colonial I"ff ntl £ the members of which were ematled to e Curt of wearing the "fouragere shoulder cords), earned for special sorvice Salaun became very popular in Wellington, and was, with Ins compan■ions entertained in many homes here, fie who knew tern will regret to earn 4 u! Salaun met an ignominious death" the sifceeto of Noumea towards the end of Julv being shot through the heart by aFrench policeman, %en resisting ' Trwn a Noumean newspaper (received J Mr. John JlutohesoD, of Wellington) it is gathered that Salann, a, painter by Ue, was slightly inebriated .and was nrrested for disturbing the peace. He Zt along quietly enough for a time, a, d then suddenly npset the . arresting officer who, believing his life.impenlled, drew his revolver and shot him through J 1 £,+ <n nerWied one of ijlie great iii The war, one, indeed, whose deeds of h avery and utter disregard of his own S3 «fe«y ™re toons throughout th* Trench Army. Salann ga ned the m ffistdecorations possible short nf the Legion d'Hohncur. When *.»1tm of France does a brave not, the do--1 ta l of it are read out, to to regiment; if it is a-very bra-re act, there is a cita Hon to flie ■■divisions «/n act of Ae W™ the citation is to the whole of 1C TVeiici Army, no matter where- its SCd unftfaw stationed. Francois Zl m's deeds of bravery became' Citato dl I'AjW-the bravest of the b Oneo'when his unit-was being worried bv a nest of German machine-guns across h river? Salaun dashed into the muddy stwin! tot his rifle, but swam aernw, at'aced the German post single-handed of a rifle from one of » viHvms and with that cleaned to the ,n line-gun n«t and made the pathway Jffit and-clear for his PJ™,»s«}«_Thatl was only a single incident. Sa aim Iwm nlwavfl game for Vro-of immense strength and vml ty. Yet ho was'a sweefc-natured, Pfiety-lovme man He won the Croix de Guerre (gold ' r) and the Medaille Milibire orwlwore the covct'l "fc-uragoro"-eould man < o more? Ye<V as the writer of the art.de •'i,» tii cl,ot "in his own country TvFreS*mlle " Nh* I-'^ Lv ' One Nonmwn foldiwr. X, on the death of SMa.-n icWi* to Won d'Honnour ' said, "Salaun won that-not T.