RESCUE OF FOUR GIRLS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15884, 3 April 1915, Page 2 (Supplement)

RESCUE OF FOUR GIRLS.

DRAMATIC STORY. Writing to her daughter at Lyons a French woman adds another chapter to tho record of German atrocities in France, and gives a graphic description of the timely arrival of a British patrol. After 45 Germans had been billeted in the village for several weeks, an entire regiment arrived. People were turned out of their houses in their night attire and compelled to pass the night out of doors while the Germans slept in their beds. The next morning the Germans began by burning six houses after driving tho inhabitants away at the point of the bayonet. Then they explored wine cellars, and by the early afternoon officers and men were speechlessly drunk. Scenes of indescribable horror followed this orgy, says Mr. H. J. Greenwell, correspondent of the London Daily Express. Women, both old and young' were assaulted : men who tried to go to their aid were ruthlessly shot down. The cure was made prisoner and' placed in tire schoolhouse. Towards evening, when the men began to go to sleep, a horseman galloped into the village with an order to the colonel to assemble his men. Only about a quarter of the number were sufficiently sober, but these were marched away. In the middle of the "night the rest of them awoke, and began to wander round the village in search of the mischief. They found four young girls, tied their hands behind them, and drove them towards a garage. Some of the men were organising an attempt at rescue when shots were heard. The inhabitants thought a French force was near, and went wild with joy. The Germans seized their rifles and fired right and left; several of tho villagers were struck, but it is affirmed that manv of the Germans wounded each other in their alarm. Some of them ran along the road which the first part of the regiment had taken, and ran right into a British patrol, which accounted for every one of them. Tho writer of 'the letter managed to convey to the Englishmen what was taking place in the garage. 'Hie place was quickly surrounded, a non-commissioned officer broke the door, and eight Germans were made prisoners.