The dear old Rangers have had their fair share of the fighting. Still,
they’re ready for as much more as the Germans want, and it won’t be
our fault if every man of ours that has gone to face his Maker with
an unshriven soul hasn’t at least a dozen German trash to keep him
company. There’s a lot of talk about the disloyalty of the Irish
people, but, sure, when it comes to the bit, and England needs soldiers
to fight for her, she knows she can rely on the Irishmen. There’s not a
man in the Rangers would let any German trample on the Union Jack, no
matter what his views about Home Rule and the need for making England
recognize our right to nationality. The Rangers have lived up to their
character as fine fighters, and they have been in some very hard
scraps, you may be sure. One day we were sent to help a battery of our
artillery that had got into difficulties, and was like to be carried
off by the Germans. There was little time to spare, as the Germans were
pressing hard on both flanks, and there was fear we might be cut off if
we didn’t get on the move. We rushed at them with the bayonet at the
double, and swept them away like the dust goes before the wind. It was
hard fighting, and many of us got hit, but our charge made it easy for
the guns to be got away in safety: _Private P. O’Hanlon_.