ALLEGED ATROCITIES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17143, 27 December 1929, Page 5

ALLEGED ATROCITIES

AUSTRALIANS IN THE WAR SENSATIONAL STORIES PROVACATIVE PUBLICATION (Elec. Tel. Copyright—Unitod Pross Assn.) (Received Dec. 27, 10 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 25. Were Australians guilty of atrocities against their prisoners in the Great War? is a question brought to the front owing to statements by .an Irish-German poet, Robert Graves, in a brilliantly written autobiography, "Good-bye to All That," dealing sensationally with the war, in which he fought most gallantly on the British side, and was so badly wounded that he was reported dead. This book, published last month, was immediately criticised by the Daily Mail as painful* and provocative. Graves' words suggest that France and Britain plotted and prepared for the war, and he adds that there was neither patriotism nor religion in the trenches. He declared that if the chaplains had shown one-tenth the courag* and endurance of the doctors, the British Expeditionary Force might have started a religious revival. Graves states that many of the officers, having two years' service in the trenches. became dipsomaniacs; some even worked up to two bottles of whisky a day. : He commented on the numerous suicides, and adds that executions were frequent', including two privates who confessed that they shot a sergeant-major instead of a platoon sergeant whom they hated. The French military commander at Bethune, at which 'place they were executed, delivered a speech eulogising how gloriously the British could die. 1 \ BOOK NOT RECALLED.

The book also contains many instances of amazing British gallantry, but as a foil to those instances are quoted of alleged atrocities by Australian and Canadian soldiers, who, Graves asserts, had the worst reputations for violence against prisoners. ' Jonathan Cape, the publisher, now denies reports from Australia that the book has been recalled owing to a paragraph alleging Australian atrocities. The publishers say they had no complaints from Australia, The book is selling freely ill England. It is now added that Graves' paragraph referring to the "worst reputation," added: "The only thing to be said was that they were only two generations removed from the days of Ralph Raleigh and Marcus Clarke," both of whom wrote of convict times. He could not decide how far this reputation was due to the overseas habit of bragging and leg-pullihg. Graves relates a first-hand account of an incident at Marlancourt, where the Australians captured a dozen Germans in a cellar, made them turn -out their pockets and return to the cellar, and then threw half a dozen Mills bombs among them. The author's reflection of Scottish troops' has aroused violent protests, and writing in the Daily Mail about the alleged retreat of 'Scottish battalions from High Wood, Graves says he merely reported what he had been told. He now finds that it was untrue, and apologises for repeating a libel.

RIDICULOUS AND IMPOSSIBLE COMMENT IN AUSTRALIA (Received Dec. 27, noon.) MELBOURNE, Dec. 27. Interviewed regarding Robert Graves' aspersions on Australian troops, cabled from London, Sir John Monasli characterised the statements as ridiculous and impossible. The writer evidently had no idea otf what he was talking about. German prisoners captured by Australians were handed over immediately to military police, who escorted them to corps •ages, where they were handed over to an intelligence officer. Brigadier-General Lloyd described the story as "absolute rot," Tho Australians treated their prisoners too leniently. "I have seen Germans scrambling past men of other divisions to be taken prisoners by Australians," he. added. Brigadier McKay and Brigadier Heane also ridicule -Graves' allegations. Robert Ranke Graves has been a most prolific writer during recent years. Since 1915 he has written nine books of verse and nine of prose, the majority of his writings being characterised by their critical nature. He served in France with the Royal Fusilisrs.