HUN BARBARITY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 16303, 2 December 1918, Page 4

HUN BARBARITY.

EYE-WITNESSES SPEAK. First-Hand information was given at the prisoners of war luncheon of the ’Sydney Millions Club on the 7th inst. of the barbarity and awful cruelty of the Huns. Mr. Arthur Rickard, who presided, referred to Germany as the coward nation, and quoted from a new publication by Win. Pear.se, on “German Kultur,” to exemplify actions of unscrupulousness and savagery. Private Potter, George's Heights, who was a prisoner of war in Germany for 18 months, stated that in Dolman Camp in Germany the rats run_ under tlio floor of the huts. The Australian prisoners caught them, and whenever possible cooked them, and were thankful indeed to have the opportunity of eating them. The men were practically starved, and ho had seen the bones almost coming through their skin. One form of punishment used by the Germans was called “stillo standing” (standing still in the snow perished with cold). If any fell down they would be prodded with bayonets or kicked. In the summer they were made to stand out and face the sun and follow it round with their eyes. If they dropped their eyes when the strain became too great they would bo smashed under the jaw with the guard’s fists. His face and that efi the others with him had been frostbitten black, and they would have died if one of the Russians had not shown them how to rnh the snow over the frost-bitten parts. Meanwhile the German sentry laughed at their contortions in pain. “I have seen them take the Australians,” said Private Potter, “and string them up by the hands to a tree with their feet inst touching the ground. They were swung to and fro with the wind until the pain became too great, and they lapsed into unconsciousness. I have seen them swinging like this for about two hours. Mon sent out to work became exhausted, and were brought back to camp to die like dogs. They dressed our wounds once every. 10 days, and used paper bandages. The only thing that kent us alive at all was the parcels wo got through the Red Cross. Private R. AVallach, Penkivil Street, Bondi, who also had experience as a prisoner of war, said that after being wounded they were five days in the train, and had absolutely no medical attention. Most of the wounds mortified. Some of the men died from blood poisoning. The only thing that kept him alive was the Red Cross parcels.

Sergeant Howell, V.C., and Corporal Bede Kenny, V.C., ga-ve first-hand information of what they had seen concerning the brutality of the Huns. Kenur related several instances where the Germans deliberately fired on the Bed Cross men. In one ease two friends of his went out to an Australian mate, and while bringing the man in a “pineapple” thrown at them exploded, blowing one man to pieces, killin2_nnc of the stretcher-bearers and wounding the other.

“The prisoners .were kept, on the Wolf,” said Second, Officer Bees, who was a prisoner on the raider, “under the most awful conditions. Our living quarters were below deck. We were like sardines, all ranks, colours, and nationalities. Sick men and men with all kinds of diseases were all together. All men had to wash in pans, even the men who had diseases. Our sanitary arrangements were shocking. The Huns have committed during the last four years more atrocities than the world has ever heard of, and whenever any of their men are caught at it they say. ‘I am only obeying orders.’ Do not shoot the Huns—that would be

lotting them down lightly; but make the remainder of their Jives so miserable that when they die hell will be a Paradise to them.” Mr. Justice Ferguson moved—“ That after having hoard first-hand information concerning tho brutalities of Germans to onr men, this gathering urges that the persons guilty of these atrocities and tho instigators thereof should be handed over to the custody of the Allies in order that they receive fair trial, and, if proved guilty, receive adequate punishment.” His Honour said a bishop had told him that ho had seen with his own eyes nine babies lying in a row, each with a bayonet wound through the stomach. AVhcn tho investigations into the tilings tho Germans had done wore completed no guilty head'should be too high for tho halter. The motion, which was carried, will bo cabled to tho Prime Minister.