THE GERMAN ATROCITIES.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XX, Issue 5258, 18 October 1915, Page 2

THE GERMAN ATROCITIES.

A pathetic instance of the extent to which the German barbarities in Belgium were carried during the earlier months of the war. was related by Major ile Mart'll, aji officer of the Belgian army, at a patriotic meeting at Mount Albert. Auckland. Major lie Martin said that when he was in London, briere coming out to New Zealand, he was summoned to the Charing Cross Hospital, where, he was told. a Flemish l*oy. speaking the dialect ot the south of Belgium, was. unable To make himself understood. Lying in a lied at the hospital he found a lad about 1-1 years of age. Both his hands hail taien cut off at the wrists, Encouraged to pla in lor' what reason he suffered this great misfortune, the boy said that when ho was out scouting In' was caught by a German officer, who asked linn nil sorts of questions-. but was unable to extract an answer. After receiving a mini tier of kicks and f lows, he was handed over to a surgeon, who. failing to gain any information, sent him to the provost marshal He was then given into the charge of a butcher, who took him behind the lines. He ha nils were cut. off, and ho was unmercifully thrown into a ditch. where he lay until picked up by a Bavarian officer, who took compassion on him and gave the Ihiv assistance.