SUFFERED FOR BRITAIN

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 171, 7 April 1923, Page 6

SUFFERED FOR BRITAIN

BRAVE LITTLE BELGIAN WOMAN DESTITUTE TO-DAY IN NEW ZEALAND

HER TOUCHING HISTORY BY Telegraph.—Special Correspondent. Christchurch, April 6. There arrived in Christchurch in 1919, a very happy little Belgian woman, married to an ex-member of the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces. She had passed through trying experiences in her own country, and knew more than most women ot the horrors of a war of invasion. She hoped to find the peace for which pho longed in New Zealand, a country which had always appealed to her imagination. “Oh', lam so ’appy, she remarked' to a reporter who met her on her arrival in Christchurch. There is in Christchurch to-day a very unhappy little Belgian woman, the widow of an ex-member of tho Now Zealand Expeditionary Forces. She passed through trying experiences at the war, but she has had even more trying ones in the New Zealand where at first she felt “so . ’appy.’ Her husband was seized with the dread tuberculosis, and recently died, leaving his wife destitute and with tho small son of a former marriage, to maintain. She is in a very delicate state eff health, and although she is willing to perform any kind of work to keep herself and her son she finds that she has not sufficient strength at present to do so.

A Friend of. Miss Cavell. Her story is a particularly moving one. Mrs. Dixon, for that is tier name, is a woman who for her loyalty to her British allies in Belgium alone deserves well of all English-speaking people. Before the war she was a friend of Nurse Edith Cavell, and worked in the same hospital. With the outbreak of hostilities, Nurse Marie Somers (as she then was) was transferred to Antwerp. When tho time came before the evacuation of tho citv, all tho Belgians in hospital were removed in ' ambulances, but there were no instructions as to tho disposal of British troops, and four “Tommies” (Marines) were left behind. Marie Somers stayed to attend to them, and her were heartbreaking. One of the men could walk, and he was sent out to purchase bread. He was never seen again. The remaining three, owing to thio ferocity of tho bombardment, were removed by their nurse io the cellar. There was no food and no water to be obtained. X baker over the road from the hosoital refused to give Mlle. Somers bread, and she, therefore, stole a loaf ■For her proteges. Tlie bombardment increased, and a night or so later the hospital caught fire from a bomb explosion.. The faithful Belgian woman carried out each of her patients in turn in spite of bad burns received in Journeys to and from tho cellar. Just ns the last of her patients was removed the building crashed to the ground later. She., and her little party -were fired np?>n, and a bullet entered her neck.

Arrested by German Soldiery. After many vicissitudes, the three soldiers were house in a convent, and from there they wore conveyed ultimately to Ostend. Their nurse accompanied them ns far as the sea coast and then decided to return to her neorid. She set out on foot to reach Antwerp, and on her return found the Germans in full occupation of the citv. As she was walk'ng past the hospital site, some heavy-handed H'jna arrested her. and the Pro-German Faker’s wife testified that she wns the woman who Lnrf rosmied thre“ Rri+ish soldiers nnd. had stolen a loaf oF brood. She was before Roche officers and roFused tn disclose +he whereabouts of her patients or the method of their escape. Her clothes’ were torn off, and she was whipped until she fainted. Her ear-rings were torn from the lobes of her ears, nnd she was carried to a cellar. There, because she would not spoak. wafer was drained info- her miserable’dwelling, and all night she staved in the dank holo, with water swiaking up to her knees. While she was in this place, an officer made advances to h«r. She ropuls“d him, and he "dashed at her with a short sword, cutting her arms and one of her cheeks, nnd stabbing her in tho back. Suffering tile tortures of hell, she remained for nine days in this holo, subsisting on rice nnd water. Finally, through the aid of a sympathetic smitry, she was enabled to/escape, attired In nn overcoat and with her hair tucked under a military cap. Decorated by Kinss. At length she arrived at Gala’s, told her story and was sent to an English hospital. Tn October, 1916. she received from King George, acting on be- ■ hnlf of the Belgian Government, the Order of Leopold IT. and in 1917 King Albert himself handed her the Croix de Guerre. Now. this woman who has been honoured by her King and country, is destitute in a- country which should he proud to give her a. home. Her courage nnd her loyal comradeship to helpless Britishers entitle her to more than svmnathv. ' Tile “Sun.” which tells the storv. has onened in its columns n. subscription list for the relief of this worthy citizeness..