IN RECONQUERED FRANCE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3050, 11 April 1917, Page 6

IN RECONQUERED FRANCE

r DEVASTATED TERRITORIES VISITED SCENES DESCRIBED IN LETTERS London, April 9. , The newspapers publish remarkable private letters describing the return of the peasants to recdnquered France. One letter states: ' 'All smells of Boche; one cannot mistake it. It is awful passing through the scenes of desolation—villages smouldering, churcbes blown .up,' cemeteries desecrated, the peasants' furniture scattered outside their ruined cottages. All males between the ages of fifteen and sixty, besides robust women, have been carried off. - The men were compelled to salute the Hun officers by removing their caps and lowering them to the level of the elbow. There were frequent roll calls; as each man answered no filed past the Boche officer, with uncovered head, for fifteen yards before reaching him and fifteen yards after passing him.

"There were lots, of Boche babies about. Many women left with the retiring Huns. Last night a party of Boche prisoners arrived at one place. The news spread rapidly;-the villagers collected in the square, and hooted and yelled at the Huns, .shouting 'Dirty Bochesl , 'Murderers!' 'Incendiariesi' 'Robbers!'- 'Assassins!' and 'Pigs!' One old woman spat in the faco of a particularly arrogant-looking Boche officer, and exclaimed: 'Dirty Bocbe! You told; the truth for the first fime. You said we should P«e you back, and sure econdi we have.' "There was much merriment when * party of prisoners was told off to clean up some filthy mess they had' made. The inhabitants gathered round, jeer-ing."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

SINN FEIN REBELLION

ANNIVERSARY DISORDERS IN DUBLIN AND CORK (Rec. April 11, 0.5 a.m.) London, April 10. On the occasion of'the Dublin anniTersary of the rebellion about two hundred Sinn Feiners attacked l and stoned the soldiers and police. The latter charged wita their batons and dispersed them: There were dense crowds of sympathisers. After a Maea in Cork Osthedral for the repose of the souls <>f the rebels three hundred mea, wcinen, and girls marched in processioii to the Town Hall and tore down the municipal flag and replaced it with the Sinn Fein flajj. The police dispersed the demonstrators'and replaced tho flag.—-Unit-ed Service. • N

MEN FOR AUSTRALIAN LIGHT HORSE

SUCCESSFUL RECRUITING '/■ EXPERIMENT.

syaney, April 10. llie Light • Horsemen's recruiting parades continue to be highly successful. Yesterday in ten minutes fifty saddles were filled <n the Show Ground, and eighteen more at Randwiok.—Press Association. ,

[Troops of horsemen, each leading a horse,with an empty saddle carrying patriotic mottoes, parade the city, and have been very, successful in securing recruits, especially among visitors, from the country districts.]

OUR MOUNTED MEN IN EGYPT

MR. MASSBY'S COMPLIMENTS. London, April 9. The Hon. W. F. Massey telegraphed to Brigadier-General Chaytor (Officer Commanding the New Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade) congratulating him on _ the good work of the New Zealand Brigade near Gaza. Mr. Massey adds: "The capture and bringing in of guns is another of the many deeds which have -thrilled the Dominion with pride in the loyalty and fighting capacity of its soldiers."—Aue.-N.Z. Cable Assn., ••' ;.. ■ ,