Shatrered Nerves of The Germans.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 28 June 1915, Page 3

Shatrered Nerves of The Germans.

FROM THE PRJjJSS BUREAU. In an article communicated by an Eye-Witness present with the British General Headquarters more extracts from captured correspondence are given. Neuthal, Posen, March 13.—You ask for B's address; he was in the hospital, but they have just sent him back to the front partly healed. 'His arm is still swollen, -and he cannot use it. Men must ,be lacking, and they must have urgent need of them to have to send them back in this state. This carie it not the only one. I know of one who was wounded in the leg and returned to the front hardly able to walk. I wrote to you that they would not give bread without a ticket, but now they give neither bread nor ticket, but we are authorized to buy 90kg. 198.711b. of corn per-month. It then has to be ground and comes back to us in a half-crushed state. February 13, 1915.—We ateo ha7e prisoners here, English and French, who have to make soldiers' packs in a factory. The war presses on us always heavily. The poor bakers are the worst off. Cake shops may not bake after the 15th War bread must be 48 hours old. Each baker may only sell a certain amount and must bake at stated hours, and not at all atinight. The same with the publicans: Schnapps and liquor may not bo (sold in the publichouses before 11 a.m. or after 7 p.m. Other foodstuffs are dearer every day, and soon tßere will be no more meat or bacon. It is to be hoped the war will stop. The following extract came from Bavaria 1 believe our happiest days are over; now there is grief and misery everywhere. If only the longed-for peace would come! That is our only wish. February 2,—We are now beginning to feel the pinch of the war. You will have heard already that the damned English are trying to starve us, and our corn has all been registered. There Lβ said to be only enough for halat a pound of bread for each person ilaily, and that is certainly not much, Jbut we have to put up with it. Let us hope that the tables will be turned on the English. Indeed, it will not be a quick job to starve us out, as we Bave still a lot of corn and potatoes. We all long for a speedy and honourable peace. DIARY OF A RESERVE OFFICER This extract is from the diary of a German Reserve lieutenant of a regiment whiuh was holding the trenches between St. Yves and Le Gheer in December last. Most of it is now ancient history, but it is a record ot impressions from the other side;— 20/10/14.—Departure from Zwickau at U. 15 with over 1,200 men. The men were rather undisciplined, especially the volunteers and Ersatz reservists with about six weeks' training, above all in the dark; and the idea of obedience is not yet familiar to them. Arrival in Lille at 10 a.m.- on 26th; the part of the town near the station in ruins; the iuhabitaants apathetic; few young people about. The inhabitants are amiable and timid A nervous eentry fires at some willow trees, mistaking them for Frenchmen. ■Another man runs round -shouting "Help! Help!" under the impression that he is being shot at. He is shot at, and so are two men who are following him. I out with my revolver—a ridiculous (situation 1 The man who Called for help cannot be found, the eentry calms down, and the rest of the company clusters round me—indeed a ridiculous situation! January 21, 1915.—H0w long is it since I made an entry (in this diary)? In the meantime I was wounded. With me in hospital were Lieutenant Wankel (181et Regimentit), who in a state of nervous excitement alarmed the XIX Corps with a false report (that the English had broken through tn"e line., that all his company were killed, and that he himself was wounded) ad Lieutenant Balteer, 32nd Artillery Reginienifc also with nerves upset, He flungj himself out of the window into a yard, broke a thiglnbone and an ami and knocked hie face about. He raved during the night and kept us aiwake by shouting stupid orders. It was very pleasant at Christmas and New Year; my comrade Schweitzer and I came >n for much applarase for our performances.