GERMAN ORDERS TO TAKE NO BRITISH PRISONERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15915, 12 May 1915, Page 7

GERMAN ORDERS TO TAKE NO BRITISH PRISONERS.

WOUNDED MEN BLINDFOLDED AND SHOT.

SOLDIERS WHO COMMITTED ATROCITY RECEIVE MEDALS.

Wellington - , May 11

The Prime Minister has received the following from the High Commissioner in London :—

" The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs has issued a despatch from the British Minister at The Hague containing sworn declarations from press correspondents, regarding the shooting of British prisoners of war by Germans.

"Johannes Martin, editor of the Rotterdam Nieuwsbiad, declares that on March 16 a German deserter, Richard Lorcn;:, of the 208 th Regiment, appeared at his office, and stated that the Bavarian regiments under Prince Ruprecht had received formal orders to make no British prisoners, and that those soldiers who made them were severely punished.

" On March 18 another German deserter called Friedrich Kuller, of the 22nd Regiment, 2nd Bavarian Army Corps, stated that Bavarian regiments received formal orders to kill every British prisoner of war.

"On March 19 another deserter called Kahlmann, of the 35th Regiment of Infantry, stated that British prisoners were brought to the German quarters with their hands bound behind their backs, and their eyes bandaged. They were not told that they were to be shot. They were executed under the supervision of a commanding officer.

" M. Ditmar, a press correspondent at Rotterdam, stated on oath that Friedrich Kuller, of the 22nd Regiment, 2nd Bavarian Army Corps (von Kluck'a army), informed him that about December 28 24 British prisoners of war were shot by his company. One of the reasons given to him at the time, was that, they belonged to a regiment that had blown up a bridge over the 'Scheldt, near Antwerp, when many German troops were marching over it in pursuit of the then retreating English army. Amongst the men shot were many officers. All these men were placed against a wall one after another, new German soldiers being called up from their ranks to shoot in turn. This murder took, place at Warrick by order of Major Hofmann.

"On subsequent occasions, continued Kuller, one British officer and four soldiers who had surrendered were shot at Castle Hollebeke after a hand-to-hand fight."