GENERAL WAR NEWS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1739, 21 July 1917, Page 4

GENERAL WAR NEWS.

DIVED FROM A SEAPLANE. One of two hydroplanes manoeuvring six miles at sea from Toulon, France, caught fife and plunged into the water with its two occupants". The second hydroplane flew to the rescue. From this machine Seaman Torreand dived as tho hydroplane swept by 00 feet above the wreck with a speed of practically a mile a minute, and rescued tho ensign, one of whose legs was broken. The quartermaster was lust. STEEL VEILS FOR SOLDIERS. British troops are now being supplied with a veil of chain mail, which, hanging from a slender rod fixed round the brim of the steel helmet, protects the eyes and face of (lie wearer from fragments of shells and flying debris. It is the invention of a famous ophthalmic surgeon. The veil is light, flexible, and '■irung enough to turn a bullet travelling with considerable velocity, while at the same time it does not interfere materially with tlie soldier’s clearness of sight. BOY CAPTURES A GERMAN. A 15-year-old Manx boy has captured a German. The story is as follows: —Standley Quaye, aged 15, a messenger attacbed to the Isle of Man Constabulary, took singlehanded on Saturday Wojesch Ka/.akweies, a prisoner of war, who had escaped from a working party. Quaye, while conveying a message to a rural police station, met Kazakewies, and suspecting that he was an escaped prisoner, informed him that lie had been sent but to recaplure him. The man immediately surrendered, and the boy proudly escorted him to Ramsey, whence he was handed over to the military. BOXING ESSENTIAL. That boxing has proved of great, benefit to the soldiers being trained in Canada, Australia, and other parts of the British Empire for the world war, is attested to by Colonel 11. G. Mayes, of the Canadian Forces, who is director of physical and bayonet training 'of the colonial troops now in England and France. In order to help matters along, Colonel Mays arranged boxing tournaments for the soldiers in all the camps, and stales that it was authorised and encouraged by (he officials.’ “We have reason to be grateful to boxing for (he lighting spirit it has developed in the British troops,” says Sporting Life, “this term including all those contributed by the Dominions Overseas. It must not be forgotten that the essence of training soldiers for this war is that every officer, every N.C.0., and every man must be taught to light as men have never fought before. It is a question of going forward to kill or be killed, and doing so under the stresses of great mental excitement. The lighting fin (he various fronts has revealed again and again that physical (itness and the development of the lighting spirit are essential to success. ’’ WORE OF LIFEBOATS. In IDlti lifeboats rescued more lives from shipwreck than in any previous year in the history of the institution. Since the war, the coastal lifeboats have saved over 3,000 lives. No fewer than 8-15 were rescued from ships mined or torpedoed. .MANY TIMES TORPEDOED. Remarkable torpedo,, escapes are thoße of John Jones, of Holyhead. Five of the ships, to which he belonged have been sunk by German submarines, and news has reached Holyhead that his life has again been spared. He was one of the crew of H.M.S. Tara, which was torpeoded in Ihe Mediterranean. DEMAND FOR SILK. Despite the restricted supplies, silks are stated to be in great demand, especially in munition areas. The best silks, it is said, sell rapidly among women munition workers. People who never thought before of having silk dresses are getting them now.