Lieutenants Heroism

Horowhenua Chronicle, 14 December 1915, Page 2

Lieutenants Heroism

Details "l » l u ° ht bcUvecU a rir.tish mobile coiiinm and an enemy i.uee at x\in enengaiubo, on the Nyasal.mdi border, in which tho native swok;,ue was rushed audi capuued in circumstances received by Kouter. On receipt ol' intelligence thai Um iiiemy had established a blockade BOinu nveuty-nv6 miles Irom I'it'e, und was i awing Xyasaland villages under JJnUsli protection, a Uritish lorce ol' titty .••Northern Rhodesia Kines and twentymo .Northern lthodesiau ponce, under i uMii. iiremner, were dispatched to 'he scene. Alter a march through rougn country, tho column arrived on a hig.l encampment, from which tney saw tho .enemy's stockade. A oeer-drinliing party was in progress, and tho proximity ol the .British was unknown.

At 3.45 in the mommy the column began a diliicult descent into the valley, tor over an hour the soliders roh fd down the stocjp declivity througn grass high over their heads. Just at cunvn the little force reached the edge o'. tlie cleariug 200 yards widie that had been made round the stockade.

The JJritisli were disposed as follows: .Northern Rhodesiau l'olico, nt the l : ronfc, followed by northern Rhodes an Hillos and hospital bta.it. Behind followed a number Oi stray natives, who dad been raidedi by the enemy. The dispositions were very skill ully made. Hie i'olice, under Lieut. Bremner, were extended along the enemy's front and the main body, under Major Cunninghamo, along the rear. The attacking party under Lieut. Irvine, rushed the gate of the stockade with great bravery, and immediately heavy bring started. Our men penetrated the stockade and got into tlie stockade trench, but tlie enemy refused to emerge from their huts although nring on the attackers.

WOUNDED .MAN'S ORDEAL. In the meantime the police had a strong engagement with those ol the enemy who tried to escape. The chief firing was from two long huts put astride the gato of the stockade, and here Lieut. Irvine was shot. The bullet passed) through the shirt pocket over his heart, and. entering his left arm, blew about lour inches of bono away. Sergt. Mills got to him hrs!rf»anu, although nearly dead from l<fti oi blood, irvinc said, "Leave me, Mills; leave me and take charge of the men.'' The doctor only arrived just in time to stop death from loss of blood.

As the poor fellow was carried away he smiled and waved his right arm in farewell. He was taken with a party to Fife that night, and, unfortunately a patrol which was sent out to meet the doctor's party fired on tho latter, thinking they were Germans. The carriers immediately dropped Irvine, and this must have almost cost him his life. He was operated on next morning, his arm being taken off, and he died that night. The fight itself was all over in twenty minutes.

Eew of the enemy got a away, but many remained in the lints until burnt out. The number' of Germans actually kiljedi -was not known, but it was believed that among- the dead were at least two German officers. A number of old gims "were seized and thirty-two prisoners taken. The enemy all used expanding soft-nosed bullets.