"YOU ENGLISH DOGS."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16169, 4 March 1916, Page 2 (Supplement)

"YOU ENGLISH DOGS."

TYPICAL GERMAN "KULTUR." Among the latest arrivals in England from the internment camp at Ruhleben is a Grimsby trawjcrman named William Connelly, who gives somo illuminating details of the brutal treatment meted out by the Germans to their British prisoners. Connelly was a member of the crew of the Grimsby steam trawler Pollux. On August 3, 1914, when 150 miles from England, the boat was overtaken by several German torpedo-boats and a cruiser, and the crew were ordered to leave by officers who covered them with revolvers. Two mines were placed in the Pollux, and the cruiser fired five shots into her before she sank. "Our crew was taken to Wilhelmsha v en," Connelly said. "For eight days we were in the cells of a prison, and then they took us in cattle trucks to Etoden. Seventy men Were put in one small hut. " Next morning a German officer tapped one of our men on the back and said, 'What are you?' 'Fisherman," replied our mate. 'You're no fisherman,' said the German. , 'You lot are mine-layers.' Suddenly they took us all to Sennelaager, where the Commandant of the camp said in English, ' You English dogs; I'll feed you out of'the swine tub.' "He gave orders to the soldiers to shave off one side of our hair and moustache, and on September 6 the operation was performed on about 70 men. German women came to the outskirts of the camp and jeered at us, and the guards were told by the officers to kick us. They also spat at us."