NERVES UNDER FIRE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 249, 20 November 1914, Page 3 (Supplement)

NERVES UNDER FIRE.

.MY PEHsOXAL EXPERIENCES 01 BATTLLHLLI) tEELI.\GS>. Bv FRANK SCTDAMORL in "Answers.'' (Hie veteran nar-corrcspoudeUl, whose experience, as such, dates from the itiisc<i- I'liriiish War of lj>77. timing which .Mr. Seudaiuore. then a mere lad, a;i> sliut up in l'levny lor six days.)

Of ali the mysteries of war—and there are mail}—none is more battling or mole elusive m the student ot ligiuing Jiuuian nature iinm tne way in which oliud piuic will grip anu temporarily paralyse even tho mo.st reasoned Hoops. No lighting man in the world, ih" British ulue-jacket or British Tommy Atkins not excepted, ..■« immune liom the sudden, suothj attack oi "1.1110 iuak. ' WHITE. BROWN ANT> BLACK.

However. f>o far a.s. a comparison oi tlio lighting ijuaiities oi in I .' \ai ion» uaHoiib lb possible—l have never iouud any material ditforence in man's courage, he ii< while, brown, or black, though i; assumes d liferent forms- I .should s.i,'-. without dl-res|>ect lo <'iu allies, Lhui llie Frenchman is the most .-UMeptit'lo to panic llie i' rcncliman's imaginative, qualities make him a houuv an I e-nthtiMa--

lie tighter, hut, iu>. hecaa.se he ha- a vivid imagination, lie in peculiail.v liable in lose las head—and lo looe a very badly.

I* remember be in with the French foreign Legion dur.ng the Moroccan War wiicu, laic one iiigin. tlie gouiii.s ! (.native scout.s) e.une UitcK U. | • amp h Uie iiow» tnai tne Moois . were eun.ing oil in torce. I'ame wul teize men m broad daylight. inn cortainh tlieie is nothing, iiuj-i'm lawiurablo lo its ik \ clopiliciil j than till, actuality or l< at «il an attack ' in >ho -mall hours oi th< morning. I lie ■ alarm, a-, it mi happened. "as a false j our. but the liiis. lili I »a-. doll l '. iSid(kulv. mst.iutam oiisiy. like 'lie drooping ol a great blaeu pan, tear tell j upon Us, and tluve liai u-luUcii, recti- i less " de\ lis ' ol the I'otcigu Legion | luukc and tea tiered. 1 dare to the mind ol inauy a j loader tlm le will :priu". a pieturo i.t a i disordered. \elluig mo') miming thus j \a\ and lliat. but the pietmie. ii ton i ecivcd. uould Ik.', lal-c It one eau la\ a finder on aii\ niJhmil i haraetei ist.ie ot pani': U l.- tha I pame."trieken n 14-n do noi run. liny walk, oi rather stumble. almm. hveillo-' "t m hitb<'r tlic\ ar 0 going, so lon- a.s u h away I ruin the <noni>. Also. men > n the gnii ol a lia'tu b -- lear do not e.ry out. then tongues like their lini'kX, ..re uioiv ui 1 le.t p:ii .i 1 \ scd■ When I meet a man who tells im that hr has lie.eii been all aid under tire 1 kiioie Siiui to be a liar. Perhaps, ill otic o lisr>t engagement, the no.city and eV-TciiKili ol 'he oc..a-icti eounlerbalauce lear. Put ! am certain that ihe oilcuer a man inio action the more he is airaid and U is moialo, di.-cipliiit'. and. above all. tli«* toar of being exposed as a coward, thai koeps> bun from running awa\. Aiint.her curious eliarai tonfci ic of panic is the tact that, though the retreating lnon liuiv bo ImvJ into, hno harried°..nd hustled tiny "ill not retaliate. Iu tact. Jiev seem to w i-.li to b ( . killed, aud during a debacle one niedit .sav that e* crv man lungs out a placard en his back of " Picas* shoot lite!" ii mib'i 'liil the I oreiun »a Ik aud :t'u u 1 • 1 « across t.bo d"srrt. tbou"h no oniMi.v pursued. Tie it as .sudil'-nle as il had collie, teir hi l I h'. ai. ali'l tllcv pulled up. ;u"lmilK'l i<i |,,ok ai their officers, ashamed lo look at tbeinxd\es. What -tops :i pani '-' 1' it hard to s-tv. As often :is in>i ii goes :i.s tiivsi♦ riilll-N - as inexplicably, a- i came. It mi'y be siid. however, that it rs ;:Iwavs the officers who save the sitna--1 1011. bca lili'i and t aim!! 11 '4 t lII' nil 11 111 to mnnhoed again. tlic Us»t iSulu War tk late