6 JANUARY 1917, Page 9

We must add a few words about the part played

by Mr. and Mrs. Birch, for we fear that the judicial language of the Court may disguise from some readers the magnitude of the courage they displayed. They found that Mr. Barrett, the young soldier who had been nursed during an illness in their house, was being vin- dictively pursued by Mrs. Cornwallis-West. His offence was that he had refused to respond to the unusual interest which Mrs. West displayed in him. Mrs. West had therefore induced Colonel Delme- Radcliffe to censure Mr. Barrett and transfer him to another battalion. When Mrs. Birch had ascertained the facts she obtained the active support of her husband, and together they moved Heaven and earth to expose the plot.