HUN ATROCITIES.

Matamata Record, Volume II, Issue 100, 3 October 1918, Page 2

HUN ATROCITIES.

The Federal Prime Minister's department has received a report of the select committee of the Imperial Parliament on the treatment by the enemy of British prisoners of war behind the firing lines in France and Belgium. One instance is given of an Australian private who, starving, had fallen out to pick up a piece of bread left on the roadside by Belgian women for the prisoners. He was shot and killed by the guard for so doing. UNDER SHELLFIRE. Evidence shows that Germans systematically kept, and are probably to-day keeping, their prisoners in a great many instances under shellfire, and are treating them in the hardest possible manner, on the ground that the British Government is treating German prisoners in this way. German statements to this effect have been repeatedly denied by the British Government. One instance of the effects of Allied shellfire on their own men may be given. Says the report: "In May, 1918, a British or French shell burst among a number of British and French prisoners in German hands. They were working behind the lines in Belgium. Seven were killed and four wounded." MEN STARVED. "The men," proceeds the report, "were half-starved. Two, who weighed 13st, when captured, were reduced to Bst, one of them being too weak to walk when he was sent back from the firing lines. The other man lost 2st in six weeks. Parcels did not reach these prisoners. One soldier stated that if a man stepped out of the ranks to get food at Moretz he was immediately shot. At Marquion the conditions are described as follows : ' We used to beg the sentries to allow us to pick stinging nettles and the dandelions to eat, we were so hungry.'" EXHAUSTED MEN KICKED. Instances of harshness of guards are given. Twice in one month one soldier saw a guard using a dog-whip on prisoners for being slow in getting out to work. Owing to weakness the men fell down from sheer exhaustion, and were kicked until they rose again. It was not till they could not get about that they were sent back to Germany. The accommodation failed to keep out the rain and cold, and an instance is given of 110 men being accommodated in a room 15ft by 20ft, sleeping on bare boards and without blankets. REVOLTING CONDITIONS. The only means of sanitation was a barrel standing in the corner of the room. These men were never given any clothes. Other men had to lie on straw full of vermin, and had to wash without soap or towels. Others, working eight hours a day behind the lines, were given only one ration daily. That consisted of one cup of coffee, a slice of bread, and some soup. The report adds that a great many prisoners have died or been permanently broken in health by the treatment.