Among those who fell at Cambrai was Captain Clutterbuck, of the King’s Own (Lancaster) Regiment.  He was killed while leading a bayonet charge.  “Just like Clutterbuck,” wrote a wounded sergeant, describing the officer’s valor, and adding, “Lieutenant Steele-Perkins also died one of the grandest deaths a British officer could wish for.  He was lifted out of the trenches wounded four times, but protested and crawled back again till he was mortally wounded.”

A sergeant of the Coldstream Guards, in an account given to the Evening News, speaks of the death of Captain Windsor Clive.  “We were sorry to lose Captain Clive, who,” he says, “was a real gentleman and a soldier.  He was knocked over by the bursting of a shell, which maddened our fellows I can tell you.”  The utmost anger was also aroused in the men of the Lancaster Regiment by the death of Colonel Dykes.  “Good-by, boys,” he exclaimed as he fell; and “By God, we avenged him,” said one of the “boys” in describing the fight.

Many instances are given of the devotion shown by the soldiers in saving their officers.  Private J. Ferrie, of the Royal Scots Fusiliers, wounded while defending a bridge at Landrecies, tells in the Glasgow Herald how Sergeant Crop rescued Lieutenant Stephens, who had been badly hit and must otherwise have fallen into the enemy’s hands:  “The sergeant took the wounded lieutenant on his back, but as he could not crawl across the bridge so encumbered he entered the water, swam the canal, carried the wounded man out of line of fire, and consigned him to the care of four men of his own company.  Of a platoon of fifty-eight which was set to guard the bridge only twenty-six afterwards answered to the roll call.”

On the other hand, there are many records of the tremendous risks taken by officers to rescue wounded men.  Private J. Williams, Royal Field Artillery, had two horses shot under him and was badly injured “when the major rushed up and saved me.”  “I was lying wounded when an artillery major picked me up and took me into camp, or I would never have seen England again,” writes Lance-Corporal J. Preston, Inniskilling Fusiliers.  Lieutenant Sir Alfred Hickman was wounded in the shoulder while rescuing a wounded sergeant under heavy fire.  How another disabled man was brought in by Lieutenant Amos, is told by Private George Pringle, King’s Own Scottish Borderers.  “Several of us volunteered to do it,” he says, “but the lieutenant wouldn’t hear of anybody else taking the risk.”  Captain McLean, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, saved one of his men under similar circumstances.  All the letters are full of praise of the officers who, in the words of Private James Allan, Gordon Highlanders, “seem to be mainly concerned about the safety of their men, and indifferent to the risks they take upon themselves.”

Every Tommy knows he is being finely led.  The officers are a constant source of inspiration and encouragement.  Private Campbell, Irish Fusiliers, writes: