D Lightfoot - 3rd Worcesters - West Cornforth Station
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Description
STRANGER THAN FICTION. West Cornforth Man's Escape from the Germans. Private D. Lightfoot (West Cornforth), a Reservist in the 3rd Worcesters, was taken prisoner by the Germans near Baileul, in France, but managed to secrete a small pocket knife in the top of one of his puttees, a larger knife being taken from him. In company with 13 other British prisoners, he was placed in the bottom of a trench, their legs being fastened with pieces of rope, and their hands tied behind their backs, while their captors went off to drink some wine they had obtained at a neighbouring village, leaving one man on guard. A German rifle and bayonet, which had slipped off the top of the trench, was against Lightfoot's back, the bayonet point being stuck in the mud at the trench bottom. After much labour he succeeded in cutting the cords which bound his wrists on the bayonet edge, and then liberated his fellow prisoners with his pocket knife. The overpowered the sentry, who expressed his willingness to go with them, and, the rest of their captors being still busy with the wine, some being drunk and others sleeping, the liberated prisoners succeeded in getting clear away to the British lines. While passing along the line to his company's trench, a "Jack Johnson"; exploded near Lightfoot, blowing him into another trench, where he fell on his chest with much force on the boot tone of one of the occupants, being rendered unconscious. He was laid on one side it thought he had been killed by the shell, but his groans drew attention and aid was given him. On being conveyed tot eh rear it was found he had received severe internal injuries. He was sent to Havre, and then Liverpool hospital previous to returning home. Lightfoot, who lives at West Cornforth Sation, was a porter on the N.E.R., and was called up from Coxhoe Bridge when war was declared. He was also Scoutmaster of Cornforth Boy Scouts, and is well known in the district. This photograph was published in the Illustrated Chronicle on the 18th of January 1915. During the Great War the Illustrated Chronicle published photographs of soldiers and sailors from Newcastle and the North East of England, which had been in the news. The photographs were sent in by relatives and give us a glimpse into the past. The physical collection held by Newcastle Libraries comprises bound volumes of the newspaper from 1910 to 1925. We are keen to find out more about the people in the photographs. If you recognise anyone in the images please comment below. Copies of this photograph may be ordered from us, for more information see: http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/tlt" >www.newcastle.gov.uk/tlt Please make a note of the image reference number above to help speed up your order. -
Owner
illustratedchroniclesoldiers -
Source
IllustratedChronicles (Flickr) -
License
What does this mean? Public Domain Mark
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Further information
Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/127539872@N02/16410878956/
Resource type: Image
Last modified: 7 years, 11 months ago
Viewed: 506 times
Picture Taken: Unknown -
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