CAPTURED 102 GERMANS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1652, 19 December 1916, Page 4

CAPTURED 102 GERMANS.

; PRIVATE’S AMAZING FEAT.

VICTORIA CROSS WELL EARNED.

One of the most extraordinary feats of the war is described by Sergeant Tugg, of the Royal Army Medical Corps, who was a witness of the deed for which Private Tom Jones, of Runcorn, has been awarded the Victoria Cross. The sergeant says:—

“On September 25th we took a village and started to dig ourselves in. Soon bullets began to Hy all round. Jones turned to his officer and said: ‘They nearly got me; let’s get at them, or there will be trouble.’ The officer declined to sanction a charge.- The shower of bullets continued, and the man next to Jones was hit. Jones then said to the officer: ‘lf I’m to be killed. I’ll be killed fighting, not digging.’ He grabbed his ritle and walked over to the German trenches alone.

“Everyone expected him to go down instantly, and we learned later that one bullet had gone through his helmet and three through his tunic. We gave him up when he entered the German trench, but eight minutes later two of his-pals said: ‘He’s gone, and we’re going, too.’ Others followed, and when they got across they saw a sight they’ll never

forget. “There was Todger Jones standing by a hundred of the enemy in a big hollow; he was threatening them ■with bombs, and they all bad their hands up. Jones told them to put on their coats, and bis pals helped to round them up. They included an officer of the German staff.

“From the prisoners avc learned that he had bombed the door of their dug-oiAt, killing the first three who showed themselves. Then he ordered them to conn* out one by one AA’ith hands up, threatening instant death for disobedience. One by one they came out and lined up until 102 stood before the bombthrower in the attitude of surrender.”

Sergeant. Tugg adds that the men in the trenches Avent almost mad with delight when Jones returned at the head of his captives, and 11 officers joined in recommending him for the Victoria Gross.