SOLDIER WHO SAVED A QUEEN'S LIFE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 402, 25 June 1908, Page 4

SOLDIER WHO SAVED A QUEEN'S LIFE.

Public Acknowledgment of His Courage. • Liskon, May 7. Queen Amelia yesterday publicly honoured the soldier Valente, who saved her life when King Carlos and the Crown Prince were assassinated. Alyaro Valente, who is a private in the 12th Infantry Regiment, was near the royal carriage when the Anarchist Costa shot the Crown Prince. He rushed up to the assassin as he was about, to fire point blank at the Queeu and knocked up the barrel of his carbine. The shot was fired, but the ball was lost in the air. Valente was himself wounded in the thigh by a third shot from Costa’s carbine. It became known yesterday that Valente was to be decorated by the Queen, and thousands of people assembled outside the palace. The ceremony took place when King Manuel returned from Parliament, the Queen pinning on the breast of the soldier the Cross of the Order of the Tower and the Sword for Merit. Her Majesty then appeared on the balcony of the palace, with one arm round the neck of the young King, and followed by Valente. The crowd below cheered enthusiastically, and when quiet had been somewhat restored the Queen, still embracing the King, pointed to the soldier with her left hand, and in a voice broken by emotion, said : “ He saved my life.” The cross conferred on Valente carries with it a pension equal to that of the rank of captain.