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Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 29, Issue 41, 29 May 1917, Page 8

A correspondent in London, writing to a relative in the Dominion, says: “The losses of the Australian, New Zealand and Canadian troops have been terribly heavy in this war, but they say the Germans have a holy respect for them. I have already been examining many men returned through Switzerland (British prisoners in Germany). One man seemed to me particularly intelligent and reliable, so I asked him whether the Germans were really having such a bad time on the Somme, and whether their losses were commensurate with ours. His answer was: “Well, sir, I've seen the German second and third line trenches literally packed with dead Germans. I've seen them nine deep.” He himself was twelve hours, wounded, in a German dug-out, because the awful lire of our own artillery prevented them getting him to the rear. I am bound to say that all the men I have examined speak very well of the Germans. Latterly the food has been getting very bad, and later prisoners speak of bad medical attendance owing to the appalling way the Gorman doctors are overworked. But I have not heard a single complaint of any personal unkindness or insult, and many instances quite the reverse. Of course, these are wounded. Amongst unwounded there are ugly stories hero and there, but on the whole they too seem to have been treated much better than our press make out. I tell you this in case you know anyone in New Zealand who has a relative missing. It may cheer some parent to know that captivity in Germany, except for the food, is not so bad as supposed.