MONS, AND AFTER

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 183, 23 April 1918, Page 6

MONS, AND AFTER

NEWCASTLE SOLDIER'S STORY OF HUNS' .INHUMANITY. Extracts from Sergeant Haveron's letter, which is from Tlie Hague, and dated January 26 of this year, form the narrative which follows:—

"One is now able to write a few truths, which of course was not allowed in tiermany. First of all, about our arrival here. What a wonderful moment as wb passed over tho border! Hearts nearly /burst with emotion, and never have I heard such a wonderful cheer as was given by our lads us wo passed the German guard and came in sight of tho Hollanders. What a wonderful ovation wo received from these honest Dutch, people! And now we are situated at a targe hotel at the seaside. "Now a iow facts of our inhuman treatment, lou will have read u great ! deal in the newspapers, and probably, like many others, Lave discredited it; but 1 can say all I have ffoad has rot been exaggerated a little bit. When X was captured I ivas marched two days amongst the firing lines, and then another . two days until I arrived at Mous.Up to this time (.four days in all) not a drink or a bito to eat did we .receive. "When wo arrived here tMonsj a wonderful sight met our coffeecans and baskets of bread. We wero informed they were for us. Wo wero form, ed up and inarched to tho tables, but instead of receiving the food we wero knocked about by rifles or any instrument handy and then kicked into cattle trucks. It must be borne in mind that a great number of ns wero severely wounded, but no one was spared. When water was called for, even Red' Cross nurses 6pac at lis, and' held jugs of water, jeering in our faces, "Then started a terrible railway, journey of four days. On the second we received a piece of dry bread each (tho first food for. six days), but never have I tasted anything so delicious. At every halt the doors of our carriages wero thrown open, and drunken soldiers camo in and struck and kicked everybody unmercifully. i "We eventually reached our camp, and then our troubles started in reality. Wo wero placed in horse stables with ono blanket, and in a week' every man was crawling with lice. My God! when x piclure tho poor wounded! I canuot wntu it; it is too horriblo to relate. A number died, and owing to insufficient food a gTeat number broke down under tho terrible strain, I being among the number. "I spent tho most terrible birthday of my lifo in hospital—May 13,1915. Id was Ascension Day, and on that day they shot three Russians. Ju6t previously to this they shot four Englishmen who wero starving and who were endeavouring to steal food. I am not able to write any more at present, lut hope to see you all soon and giro you a full account. So the letter closes. It is the letter ol an Elswick man—a letter to Elswick men. It uncovers the hideous spirit of the enemy of humanity. Elswick men can givo tho answer to the letter, and the only effective answer is "More manpower"—more man-power where and when it is wanted.