HEROES OF THE YPRES SALIENT.
Seven Victoria Crosses were awarded for remarkable feats of courage and
devotion during the great series of struggles known as the Second Battle
of Ypres. You will not, I am sure, make the mistake of supposing that
this little list comprises the names of all who wrought deeds of
glorious valour during those days and nights of combat. Hundreds of men
who received no mention proved themselves worthy of the honour, and many
of those who were awarded less notable decorations fell no whit short of
those who carried off the palm. According to custom, I shall now give
you some account of those on whom the highest of all military honours
was conferred.
Lance-Corporal Frederick Fisher, 13th Canadian Battalion.
You already know that the Second Battle of Ypres was largely Canada's
battle. It is therefore fitting that the first three heroes in our roll
of glory should be Canadians. On 23rd April 1915, in the neighbourhood
of St. Julien, Lance-Corporal Frederick Fisher, who was in charge of a
machine gun, went forward under heavy fire and most gallantly assisted
in covering the retreat of a battery. Four of his crew were killed, but
as soon as he had made up the number, he went forward to the firing line
and engaged the enemy once more. While bringing his gun into action in
order to cover the advance of supports, he was shot down and killed.
Canadian boys and girls will have a warm place in their hearts for the
hero who thus nobly fought and fell.
Colour-Sergeant Frederick William Hall, 8th Canadian Battalion.
On 24th April, in the neighbourhood of Ypres, Company Sergeant-Major
Hall heard a wounded man, who was lying some fifteen yards in front of
his trench, call out for help. A heavy enfilading fire was at that time
raking the trench. Nevertheless, two men climbed over the parapet and
strove to reach him. Both were shot down in the attempt, and it was
feared that the wounded man could not be brought in. Seeing this,
Sergeant-Major Hall went to the rescue. He reached the wounded man, and
was just lifting him up when a bullet pierced his brain and he fell
dead. Sergeant-Major Hall died the most glorious death that a man can
die--he gave his life for a comrade.
Captain Francis Alexander Caron Scrimger, Canadian Army Medical Service,
14th Battalion, Royal Montreal Regiment.
On the afternoon of 25th April, Captain Scrimger was in charge of an
advanced dressing-station which had been established in some farm
buildings near Ypres. While he was attending to the wounded, the enemy
heavily shelled the farm, and it was clear that all his patients would
soon be killed. Despite the heavy fire, Captain Scrimger directed the
work of removing the wounded to a place of greater safety, and himself
carried out of a blazing stable an officer who had been badly hit. When
he could carry the officer no farther he remained with him while the
shells were bursting all around, and did not leave him until help
arrived. Nor was this the only gallant deed to Captain Scrimger's
credit. From 22nd to 25th April he was unwearied in well-doing, and
never relaxed his attentions to the wounded, night or day.
Jemadar Mir Dast, I.O.M., attached to 57th Wilde's Rifles (Frontier
Force).
On page 209 I referred to the splendid courage and coolness of this
hero, who was the fourth Indian soldier to win the Victoria Cross. You
will remember that Wilde's Rifles made a heroic advance to within eighty
yards of the German trenches at St. Julien, and that the survivors of
the charge dug themselves in and maintained their position until
dislodged by gas. Jemadar Mir Dast remained behind, and, undaunted by
the ceaseless fire that was poured upon him, collected all the men he
could find, amongst them many who were slowly recovering from the
effects of the gas. He kept them under his command until they were
ordered to retire. As he led them to the rear he picked up many men in
the old trenches and brought them in. Later in the day, while exposed to
very heavy fire, and himself wounded, he assisted in carrying eight
British and Indian officers into safety. He was afterwards promoted
Subahdar.[37]
Acting-Corporal Issy Smith, 1st Battalion, Manchester Regiment.
On 26th April, near Ypres, Corporal Issy Smith saw a severely wounded
man lying far in front of his trench. Without waiting for orders, he
clambered over the parapet, and while machine-gun and rifle bullets
whizzed around him, pushed forward for some two hundred and fifty yards.
He hoisted his wounded comrade on his back, and succeeded in returning
safely with his charge to the trench. Later on he went out again and
again to rescue the wounded, and showed the most fearless courage in
ministering to them under fire.
Corporal Issy Smith also received from the Tsar the Order of St. George,
the Russian equivalent to our Victoria Cross. He was a Jew, and when he
returned to London the Jewish body gave him a great welcome. His
fellow-members of the Berner Street School Old Boys' Club presented him
with a gold watch suitably inscribed. After receiving it Corporal Smith
assured his "pals" that he had only done his duty, and said that any
other man would have done the same.
Private John Lynn, 2nd Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers.
When the Germans were advancing behind their waves of poison gas,
Private Lynn, though almost overcome by the deadly fumes, rushed to his
machine gun without waiting to put on his respirator. Single-handed he
kept his gun in action all the time the gas was rolling over the trench.
When he could no longer see his foes, he moved his gun higher up the
parapet, and poured such a stream of lead into the advancing Germans
that they were completely checked. The gallant fellow, now gasping and
choking from the effects of the gas, was carried to his dug-out; but
when he learnt that the enemy was coming on again, he tried to get back
to his gun. Twenty-four hours later he died--a victim to gas-poisoning.
"That Lancashire lad," says a writer, "died a hundred deaths. He knew
his risk--saw the fume-bank rolling towards him, yet fought on in the
hideous fog, resolute still, though in the clutch of a terrible fate."
Lance-Sergeant Douglas Walter Belcher, 1/5th (City of London)
Battalion, the London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade).
Lance-Sergeant Belcher was the second Territorial to receive the
Victoria Cross. Early on the morning of 13th May he was in charge of an
advanced breastwork, which guarded the flank of one of our divisions
somewhere to the south-west of Fortuin. The Germans fiercely bombarded
this breastwork, and blew it in. Nevertheless, Lance-Sergeant Belcher
and ten men remained amidst the ruins of their position and sent back to
their comrades who had retired the following message: "We're holding on,
whatever happens." Belcher and his handful of "die hards" kept a close
watch on the enemy, and as soon as they saw parties of Germans massing
for an attack, opened a rapid and skilful fire on them. Time after time
the parties were dispersed, and the Germans came to the conclusion that
a whole company was opposing them. By means of this heroic "bluff" a
large force was kept at bay for thirteen hours, and the flank of the
line was saved. Lance-Sergeant Belcher was afterwards promoted second
lieutenant.
[Illustration: Lance-Sergeant Belcher and his Men holding a battered
Breastwork.
(_From the picture by Philip Dadd. By permission of The Sphere._)
The breastwork was knocked to pieces in places, and Sergeant Belcher
determined to transfer his men to the unoccupied right wing of the work.
Our picture shows the heroic little party at the moment when they were
moving round the traverse. (See page 221.)]
[Footnote 37: Native captain in the Indian army.]