A PRIVATE'S HEROISM.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 724, 25 November 1914, Page 7

A PRIVATE'S HEROISM.

Lying in a military hospital, recovering from severe wounds, is the hero of one of the most wonderful examples of ' self-sacrifice, patient suffering, and bravery that thia war is likely to .produce. His name is Jean Berger, private soldier, 2nd Kegiment of Infantry. He is a volunteer, is of Alsatian origin, and is only eighteen years of age. He himself will say nothing, but the story hia"comrades tell is the following one: —

During one of the engagements that went to make up the battle of the Marne, a day of furious fighting was succeeded by a relati?ely calm night. Berger, who had come through the awful ordual uf the day without a scratch", was crossing the battlefield, now covered with dead and wounded . men, British, French and German, when he found his own colonel lying wounded, and started to carry hira to the rear. As he was doing so a wounded British officer—one of the Grenadiers, it is eaid —called out that hs was thirsty, and Berger shouted back some encouraging word?, promising to return (o hira is a few minutes. He removed his chief to safety, and, procuring some food and a fla3k of wine, turned back to the field.

Bullets from rifles and machine guns were still whistling past him, but he picked his way' towards where the British officer lay, and was actually raising the officer's head to give'him some, wine when a bullet took away three of his fingers. Berger, suffering intense pain as he was, retained his hold and managed to put his flask to the Englishman's lips, but he was almost immediately afterwards struck by a second bullet, which entered his back and came out above the groin. He fell, groaning, beside him he had bo faithfully tended.

The two lay there, suffering side by side, for some time when their attention waa attracted by the moans of another man near at hand. He proved to be a German soldier, and waa caling feebly for something to drink. Berger and the Engishman- both managed to drag, themssves to the side of the prostrate Gaman, and to forrce some wine and water down his throat, but the effort was such that they both fainted. When they recovered conssiousness the German was dead, and the night waa far advanced. They lay on the sodden field until dawn came, heralded in by the shrieking projectiles which toJd them the battle had begun again. Soon after tr.ey saw the Germans advancing, and a body of Uhlana rode by. Berger hailed the officer in command, who dismounted, and, with revolver pointed, asked what he wanted. "We want something to drink," waa the reply. The German officer at that moment noticed the dead body of his fellow-countryman, with the empty French flask beside it, telling its on noble tale. He was profoundly moved. He knelt by the Bide of the wounded men, gave them with his own hands what thpy wanted to drink, and, saluting them both went back to his own command with that in hia eyes to which his tongue could not give expression. For almost the entire day the two wounded men lay in what waa veritably a swamp, while the battle raged around them. As the afternoon wore on they saw the Germans retiring, but if the position of their comrades in arms was improving, their own was rapidly becoming more grave. The continued exposure was telling especially upon the Englishman, who Bhowed signß of delirium. Berger realised that something had to be done, and done quickly. In spite of his own wounds he partly dragged, partly puabed, and partly carried his fellow-sufferer towards the Allies' line. A Red Cross file found them when tbey had almost reached their goal. As the British olficpr was placed on a stretcher, to be removed to the field hospital, he asked to be taken to the young Frenchman's side. "If I live through this," he said, grasping his hand, "I will do my best to get you the V.C. If ever a man deserved it, -you do."— HftijHi||^HH