BRETON VILLAGE RAZED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 15 August 1944, Page 5

BRETON VILLAGE RAZED

MOST OF INHABITANTS MURDERLD ACT OF DRINK-CRAZED GERMANS <Recfl 10.5 a.m.) London. August 14. A band of drink-crazed Germans last ueek almost razed the Breton village of Plouvain and murdered most of the inhabitants says the “Evening Standard's" correspondent near Brest. Germans entered Plouvain. which is near Brest, at night soon after the victorious American forces had raced through 'n pursuit of the main German forces. The Germans smashed into cafes, seized all available liquor and then ran from door to door looting and shooting. They searched houses for men and murdered them one by one. women were dragged from their homes and forced to drink

*• Hitler’s health and to suffer other in- » dignities, while they watched their hus--1 bands and fathers die. At daylight the 1 Germans toured air raid shelters calls ing on men to come out. As each man s emerged he was shot dead. Maddened l by the sight of the French flag flying t from a church steeple the Germans t shelled the building as they left the - village. When American forces returni' ed two days later they found most of ; the town gone. Not a single house, i cafe or cottage was left undamaged. In lithe grounds of the battered church ; : were 25 bodies of Bretons sewn in blan • * kets. including the bodies of a 4-year-i * old child and some old men.