Stories of Atrocities

Horowhenua Chronicle, 10 July 1915, Page 3

Stories of Atrocities

« —■ — PUBLIC WARLYLJD TO DISCREDIT TJiILYL. (I'rom Captain C. E. Bean, official reporter with the Commonwealth Expeditionary Force). Gaba Tope, June IS. Certain wild stories current in Cairo and supposed to come from wounded Australians, have strayed into some British newspapers, giving lurid accounts of atrocities said to be committed by Turkish troops. Australian readers must be warned against accepting seriously such stories. Severe shock and nervous strain oTten result in bringing back from battle, stories which, at the time, are fully believed, bu which have not the remotest foundation. This is a well-recognised iißclical fact. My own experience lias piovcd over and over again that before accepting a statement of anyone under severe strain of battle, jiie ' must carefully judge his mental condition at the time. Moreover, rumours passed from mouth tiMiiouth here gain far more in telling than 'they ever did in Australia. These stories may greatly distress people in Australia, and *o tar as anyone on the (spot knows, there Is not the least element-of truth <n any of them. The most definite was a report that a certain ex-nioinber of Parliament—a brave man and a line soldier—had boeji found mutilated. This was told with a certain amount or detail, and most people were inclined to think it might be true. On the day of tTie armistice this brave man's body was found where he fell, absolutely intact except for the wound which killed him. If any evidence'of atrocity does occur. Australians will bear of the truth from those who .re on the spot, and are in tlally contact with everything that happens.