State

October 17, 1936 THE STATE Page Five “For Gallantry in Action9’ ONLY fourteen Amerieau soldiers in tlie World War received the British Military Medal, and Frank C. Bose man. of Spencer, C., was one of them. By Til Fit ESA ME HONEY THOMAS During the operation 29 Sept. 1918, near Belli- court, this soldier was on duty as a guard while his squad was at work. Upon being halted by two Germans who had pene¬ trated our lines he threw himself on the ground and shot both of them, barely avoiding their fire. His presence of mind and imme¬ diate action permitted the con¬ tinuance of the work without in¬ terruption.” The above is the citation given Frank C. Roseman of Spencer by the United States Government for bravery on the field of action. In those few terse words is contained a story as thrilling and dramatic as fiction, but made more interesting because it is true. Before we go into the story let me introduce you to the man himself. When I went to his home to try to induce him to tell me the story, which he has never before told for publication, of the act for which he received his medals I found him sitting on the jwreb in the late afternoon sunshine. He is a large man with a big cheerful smile and a firm handshake. He stands erect and walks with a military bearing remi¬ niscent of the soldier. Not Anxious to Talk When I asked him to let me write his story he answered, “All right, 1 don’t know anything about this busi¬ ness of being interviewed, but if you do I reckon we’ll get along.” And this is the story he told me, in a form quite as brief as that used in the citation. He is so modest that repented questions were necessary to elicit any but the barest facts. Knrly on the morning of September 29, 1 9 IS, before it was light, a squad from Co. B, 105 Engineers, was sent out to repair a road near Bellicourt, France. This road had been heavily shelled during the night. Private Roseman, then a youngster of twenty- Mr. Roseman, with some of the medals which were awarded him dur¬ ing the World War. four, was detailed as guard. As lu- paced back and forth in the cold Sep¬ tember air he thought of many things but particularly that he wished they'd hurry up and get through so that they could go and get some breakfast. Meanwhile the business of war was going on all nl*out him: the deep rumble of the big guns, the staccato stutter of the machine guns and the sharper crack of the rilles. Suddenly out of the smoke and fog stepped two German officers, although of course he didn't realize at the time that they were officers. One of them said in per¬ fect English: “Are you one of those American dogs?” As he sjmke, the officer sprang forward and struck at the American with the butt of his pis¬ tol. Private Roseman dodged but re¬ ceived the blow just under the right eye where a small scar remains today. The Germans fired ns he dropped to the ground and from that position In¬ shot and killed both of them. Some time before a smoke screen had been laid and that, he said, afforded some protection. The smoke had settled to within a foot or two of the ground and prone upon the earth he was partly obscured while the Germans stood well above it. After lie had thus disposed of the enemy Mr. Roseman recalls that he continued to walk his post, each time passing the bodies until his relief came. Wien the other members of the squa<l arrived they were astonished to learn what had happened. They, be¬ ing as they were, some distance from the spot had not seen anything and of course surrounded by the noise of bat¬ tle had paid no attention to those shots, if indeed they heard them at all amid the general din. No Regrets “Mr. Roseman." I asked, “did you regret having to kill those men?" "Xo.” lie answered, “it was a case of kill or get killed, and then there was the rest of the squad back there filling shell holes who would have boon wiped out, because the Germans carried hand grenades to blow them to bits.” In answer to another question he said, “Xo, it didn't spoil my appetite at all. They were the first men that I knew for sure that I had killed but I was hungry and my breakfast taste-1 mighty good to me even if it wasn't anything but corned beef." For this encounter lie was mentioned in general orders of the United States Army, was presented the Croix do Guerre of France, and the British Mil¬ itary Medal, of which only fourteen were presented to soldiers of the United States Army. This British medal is in the form of a medallion of silver suspended from a vari-colored ribbon. On one sido it bears the likeness of King George of England and on the reverse the words. “For bravery on the field of battle.” Upon being awarded the medal he received the following congratulations: ‘1 congratulate you on the gallantry (Con/mucd on page tv cnly-lwo)