Legend of the Mad Major.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 104, 5 November 1915, Page 2 (Supplement)

Legend of the Mad Major.

A popular story (says "Maclean's Magazine*'), which is told up and down the trenches, credits our army with rpersonage known as the "Mad Major," an artillery officer who, it appears, na* an uncanny faculty for spotting wellliidden German batteries and other centres of activity. So, according to the yarn, the Mad Major travels up and down the British artillery line, leaving on his opposite front a trail of death. Where he goes Irs word is final. Many of the successes of the British have been credited to the Mad Major.

■'■ The Mad Major is with the gttas behind us," ran the words through the trenches of the Patricias some time ago. The wood opposite our regiment .was full of German dug-outs, and wellconcealed batteries had been shelling us from points back of their line, fnincidbnt with the rumour of the arrival of the omnipotent artilleryman, there was increased activity evident in the British batteries. Results f<.llowed almost immediately. That our artillery had found the range was attested by the streams of the wounded, and perhaps some unwounded, Germans which could he distinctly heard m our trenches. The opposite batteries were silenced: the dug-outs untenable. The Major was more than half a myth to the Canadians, but the nmn in the trenches, when the extreme success of our fire became evident, looked at one another with silent questioning. And then rumour transferred him further up the line. Subsequently word came down to us of the c»ruag» wrought on the German lines at thai point. War h full of such stones as these hut the legend of the Mad will live long in the memorcs of the men who are fiehting Britain's bottles.