THE SOLE SURVIVOR.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 January 1918, Page 1

THE SOLE SURVIVOR.

OFFICER’S ADVENTURES IN FLANDERS.

A British officer now in hospital in Franco lias written a description of a thrilling adventure during the fighting in Flanders. After two days in shellholes ; without food; w'liile working through a wood he and five machinegunners were hurled by a heavy shell. Three of the men wore killed, hut with a corporal and a man the officer sot off to Ifilnd company Whilst struggling along, at times up to their waists in mud, another shell carried away the gas mask strapped to the officer’s chest arid killed the cornoral.

Eventually, after being four days in water without a moment’s sleep or rest, the officer, hy now the sole suivivor, found his company, hut his feet became so had that he had t° make his way to the nearest dressing station four miles away. ‘lt took eight sots of stretcherbearers —that is 16 men” he se.'e, “three hours to carry me down. Eae i pair of men carried me half a mi e an< were then relieved hy another P» ir - That will give you some idea as to the state of the ground.' \fter his feet had been dressed he was carried to a motor ambulance. “I began to think that at last my troubles were over, pro tom,” be adds, “but no, wc had not gone a mile when a shell hit the ambulance, and the* next thing I remember was sitting up in the middle of the so-called road, without hoots, socks, or trousers, amt shells bursting all around me. T crawled along as best I could for about half a. mile, when T was picked up hy a Canadian ambulance which took mo to a Canadian dressing station.