BRITISH WORK AT VERDUN.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1710, 10 May 1917, Page 1

BRITISH WORK AT VERDUN.

“The marvellous heroism of its defenders united to the linn spirit of its population has rendered for ever illustrious the name of this valient eity. It is the duty of the Government of the Republic to proclaim that the town of Verdun deserves well of the country.” Such is the official record of the once lovely city on the Meuse, now hideous with gaping- wounds, desolate, almost completely destroyed, yet ever defiant of (he besieging hordes. Amidst the universal chorus of praise of wiial our gallant ally has done during many months of varying fortunes, the fact has been overlooked that a British force, extremely small, though none the less effective, has been privileged to take part in this moving drama. Ever since the Grown Prince began his hazardous, hopeless task, convoys of motor-ambulance cars, organised, equipped, alld maintained by the British Ambulance Committee, have beer: helping to remove the wounded from the tiring-line. No other part of the Western front has called for more strenuous ambulance work than the region of Verdun. All the men of the British Ambulance section, officially known as the Sections Sanitaires Angiaises, helping the French Army, whether near shell-swept Verdun or the mountainous regions of the Vosges, are of British origin, many hailing from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, the Argentine, the Malay Stales, Ceylon, etc. They constitute an active enthusiastic force whose labours on behalf of the French wounded have not gone unrewarded. Not only have sections as a whole been awarded the Croix de Guerre, but individual members of the personnel have been similarly honoured for conspicuous bravery under lire. No lower than 48 medals have been so awarded, while one man has received the coveted Medaille Mililaire.