BAYONET V. BARE HANDS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 231, 1 December 1916, Page 7 (Supplement)

BAYONET V. BARE HANDS.

COWARDLY HUN BEATEN BY A WOUNDED MAN. A company sergeant-major describes how he Battied with a G'erman armed with rifle and bayonet who attacked him as lie lay wounded. •'Before it really struck me what th2 cowardly brute was up to,'' said the sergeant-major, "he made n lunge at me with the bayonet. I was lying on my back, but- a managed to parry the thrust with my foot, knocking his weapon aside. Three times he tried to do me in, but I parried him with my feet and legs, getting a couple cf flesh wounds in the process. Then he paused a minute as if perplexed. "In that moment I made a great effort, and, weak as I was, struggled to my feet and faced him. He lunge 1 at me again, and I caught liis bayonet in my hands, Sikh fashion. I could only use one hand, a wound near tlicj shoulder making my hand and arm helpless. " We fought like this for what seemed an iage, although I suppose it was only a minute" or two, the German with a rifle and bayonet and I with my bare hands. At last I succeeded in grasping his rifle, and then, rushing in, let go the rifle and seized him by the throat. We fell to the ground together, and with a last effort I got 011 top of him and throttled the brute. Then I fell back senseless." The sergeant-major has no fewer than ten flesh wounds as the consequence of the encounter. i ■