BRAVERY IN INDIA

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 161, 6 January 1912, Page 10 (Supplement)

BRAVERY IN INDIA

Major-General O'Calloghah writes to the Times describing the conspicuous deed of gallantry at Firozpur,. which gained the Albert Medal for Major-Gen-eral C. A. Anderson, CJ3., Captain Chas. Creaghe Donovan, Alfred Edwin Purkis, Lieut.-Colonel M. S. 0. Campbell, C.L.E., Captain Hugh larke, Assistant Commissary F. Hndley, Conductor Henry Pargiter, Sub-Conductor A. F.-Robinson, Sergeant George Smith and Robert Dunn Dow. Briefly, the facts are as follow: In a magazine of five cells or chambers were stored about 30 tons of cordite, in metal-lined' eases, 3% million round* of small-arm ammunition, and about nine tons of black powder in 1001b barrels, the last-named occupying a position about midway in the building between the other two. In another similar build' ing, 50ft distant, and therefore only at a distance of 94ft from the cell contain* ' ing the black powder, was stored 18S tons of black powder, also in 1001b bar* rels. The cordite took fire, and burned with terrible energy, and with occasional heavy explosions, filling the building witH . fumes, and intensely heated gases travel'* ling through the ventilating system and igniting the small-arm ammunition, which then began to explode and discharge its bullets, It was obviously of paramount importance that, if possible, the black powden should be removed from the .burning magazine, lest its explosion should lead to the explosion of the 135 tons stored' in the immediate vicinty, so, when the cordite 'had burnt out, the General, who, it appears, had been accidentally misinformed as to the quantity in the cell (it was thought that it only contained about 70001b), reluctantly gave permission to the officers and others who volunteered for that duty to take it out of the building, barrel by barrel, and to drown it in the water-tank close by. Twice the General ordered officers and men away after he had yielded to their entreaties to be allowed to save the black powder, or, rather, to get it out of the place where it was stored, and twice did they go back to work, in an atmosphere thick with acrid, poisonous smoke, at passing .powder barrels out, which were "hot to handle, but not uncomfortably so." Eventually it was ail got out and dumped' into a tank near the magazine. The cordite and smallarm stuff subsequently burnt themselves , out, and heavy rain, which providentially came down, materially assisted- the fire engines in soaking the smouldering debris. There is little doubt that, 'had not this black powder been removed and destroyed by the strenuous and continuous exertions of these brave men, the risk of firing 135 tons of powder in the other block would have been imminent, and tibe consequences would have been very grave.