GERMAN TORTURE OF PRISONERS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 58, 1 December 1917, Page 10

GERMAN TORTURE OF PRISONERS

REPATRIATED SOLDIERS' EXPERIENCES. Stories of revolting cruelty to British prisoners in military camps in Germany were told by some of the second batch of repatriated soldiers who arrived in London recently. Among the hardships to which they wero subjected they named semi-starvation, shortage of clothing and hoots in winter, insufficient and verminous bedding, the wounded being set at hard manual labour, and brutality on the part of tho gaolers. Private George Elsley. Welsh Regiment, who was captured in September, 1914. said in an interview that after being wounded they were conveyed to a dressing-station,' where their khaki uniforms and boots were taken from them and thev were given French uniforms. "Although wounded," added Elsley, "we were kept without food or water for foun days, and when one of us begged for something to drink the nurse brought him a glass of water and threw it in bis face. Later we were removed to the hospital at Scbwenn, where we were well treated', and later still to Gustrow Camp, where we were treated like dogs. Although we wero badly wounded on arrival, we _ were kept standing in the snow without boots from 1 a.m. until 10 o clock at night.' Then we wore herded into a building, where we lay shivering for hours. "At Gustrow several of us nearly died of starvation. Our sole food and drink consisted of a pot of coffee at 7 a.m., a basin of soup at noon, and another basin i;f the same stuff at i p.m., while everv fourth day each man was given a small loaf of black bread. When we complained we were either prodded with bayonets or the English blockade was given as the cause of the shortage. The bedding was covered with vermin, and we slept on straw on the floor. After weeks of holl we wern set to work .'to build a canal. Al wounded men with arms and legs_lia<l to work, and if a man slacked off he received the butt-end of a rifle. One dav wo saw several wounded men stabbed by the guards, and they were afterwards carried to the hospital. Ono man who refused to work was taken away, and we never saw him again.