ESCAPED FROM GERMANY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3113, 18 June 1917, Page 6

ESCAPED FROM GERMANY

THREE GOKDONS WHOSE SPIRIT THE HUNS FAILED TO BKEAK. Three men. of the Gordon Highlanders who went out with the First Expeditionary Force and were captured in August, 1914, recently reached England, having escaped froni their'Westphaliau internment camp. They are Lance-Corporal John Oliver, Private William Cree, and Private Charles Learmouth. One of them sold his shirt (a cherished present from .home) for a cheap, erratic compass, and with the aid of this, after a three nights' march, they reached tho frontier. All they had to eat during their adventures were two cakes ot' chocolate, 1 packet of dates, and G email packets of 'campaign biscuits." They declare-that they would all have been starved but for the regular, supply of parcels from home, for the food they had from the Germane was of the most miserable kind. They were watched day and night by civilian guards armed with revolvers. Their punishment if their guards thought they were ".slacking", at their work was cruel. Towards Hie end'of their imprisonment they were ordered to assist in making munitions. The Gordons refused, and they were ordered to stand to attention, stiffly, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., without food or water., On the second refusal they were imprisoned for fourteen days in the cells with only cue hot meal ewery four days, and for the remainder bread and water. Even this did uot break the spirit of the gallant Gordons... They were threatened with bayoiiet, rifle, and sword. They still refused; to make shells and bullets to kill their kin, until at last the angry Hun had to admit himself beaten. f '""