A DRAMATIC ESCAPE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2380, 9 February 1915, Page 5

A DRAMATIC ESCAPE

. GERMAN WHO WOULD NOT SHOOT PRISONERS. The foUowing story appears in- a< Dunkirk journal, which vouches in. the.most positive terms for its accuracy:—• A Irench ambulance train brought, into Calais the other day a wounded' youth, apparently about 18 years oE age, whose wasted features aud air of sadness attracted to him the general attention of ,the hospital ward. To the amazement of eveiyone, the blankets in which he had been wrapped having been removed by the nnrses, he was seen to be in the dingy grey uniform. of the German soldiers. His badge showed that he belonged to the 25th Prussian Infantry Regiment. The " young German pointed to a piece of pink cardboard • which was pinned '.to histunic. On it was written in French: "A German soldier, to be given every; care. Through his courage ho saved' twelve Belgian soldiers from beingi shot by the Germans." The authenticity of this statement ■ was"duly vfar-' ranted by the stamp of the Belgian) General Staff and the signature of thai major of the Medical Service. The young German himself how he had won his enemies' regards Although not yet 19, ho had been, drafted into tho armj;, and after a fort-i night spent iu learning a rifle in barracks, had been sent to the front ins Belgium. At Dixmude he was ordered to make one of a firing party? told off to execute twelve Belgian soldiers who had been taken prisoners,; and on some pretext or other condemned to death. Tho voting German; was convinced of their innocence. Thai condemned Belgians were brought out! to die at a farm close to the railway? line, behind which lay the trenches ofi the Allies. The order to fire was about} to bo given when the youth, crying "Shooting innocent men is not war," ; ( stretched the officer in command of tnej firing party dead with a shot from his rifle. ■- , In the confusion that followed .the; condemned Belgians and the youngj German scattered, and made a bolt for, the Allied trenches. The execution! party, as soon as they had recovered! from the stupefaction caused by theirj comrade's deed, sent volley after volley; after them. The Gorman fell shoti shrough the left leg and left arm a. hundred yards from the railway line. A lively fire was now 6et up from the', trenches, which drove the pursuing Germans hack, and tho twelve Belgians and their liberator were brought into' the Allied lines in safety. The young German has since been sent to England*