STORIES FROM TRENCHES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15900, 24 April 1915, Page 8

STORIES FROM TRENCHES.

BESTIALITY OF GERMANS. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, April 22. "Eye-witness" with the British headquarters says the Saxons in the centre of the line stuck up a national flag, in the hope of luring our men over a mine to take it awajj during the night. A better way was found. The British hoisted a Union Jack and brought down the enemy's flag with a shot from a trench mortar. ' Prisoners state that the shortage of regular officers has led to a great deterioration in the quality of the junior officers. The wholesale distribution of Iron Crosses has caused the decoration to be despised. The Kaiser and von Hindenburg arc still popular heroesThe Crown Prince has lost caste.

British prisoners are described by the Germans as being very proud and obstinate. They are harshly treated. The diary of a German officer dated December 19 says: " The fury, not to say the "bestiality, of our men beating to death the wounded English has affected me so much that for the rest of the day I was fit for nothing." Another letter describes how some English, who wero surrounded, surrendered after making the most gallant resistance, and adds: "They got no mercy. Their rifle-butts were turned round. We went for them and made the sparks fly. Prisoners were not taken."