PRISONERS IN GERMANY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1555, 25 May 1916, Page 4

PRISONERS IN GERMANY.

BRUTALITY OF CAPTORS. AN ESCAPEE'S STORY. After many thrilling adventures, three British- prisoners of war arrived back in England recently from Germany, where they had escaped from a cam)). Two of these soldiers were Scots Guardsmen, named Pte. S. Beatie and Pte. V. Howard, and the third was Pte. J. Badams, Ist Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

The last-named, who is now at Wrexham Barracks, the headquarters of his regiment, has given a graphic account of his experiences during a captivity that lasted exactly IB months, and of hairbreadth escapes from pursuers before he finally secured sanctuary. Badams was captured, Avith a number of other Royal Welsh Fusiliers, on October 21st, 1914, and during their four day’s railway journey into the enemy’s country the oniy food they had consisted of raw turnips, which the guard of the train had gathered tor them from a field during a halt. He confirms the statements of other escaped prisoners as to deliberate persecution and ill-treat-ment of British soldiers. One of the German officers, for instance, used to rush into their room, with an ugly look on his face, and brandish his sword. There was always a stampede for (he windows, through which everybody would disappear in hot haste. The bread ration per day weighed about 7oz. or Boz., served out in a loaf every three days, but they used to eat it all on the first day. This was Badams second escape. The first time he was recaptured, and he was punished with 14 days confinement in a small room, in which there were no fewer than 200 other British prisoners, who were paying the penalty for refusing to work in a coal mine.

Ho dense Avas the crowd in this limited area that they could only lie down in turns. While they Avere there (he German commandant came in and asked them if they Avere willing to work. The reply was ; “Yes ; hut it must be on the land.” He then asked Avhat objection they had to go into a munition factory. “I Avas one who replied,” said Pte. Badams, “that avc didn’t Avant to help in the manufacture of shells or of anything that Avas going to harm our folloAV-countrymon. I knoAv that British soldiers have been knocked unconscious and taken doAvn a pit shaft, and Avhen they regained consciousness there they Avere forced to Avork. The commander let. us out, and I had to go wit h a Avorking party on the land ; and it Avas Avhile 1 Avas on this Avork that I and my friends planned and effected our escape.” Asked to describe the fare now gwen to British prisoners, Private Badams said the “coffee’ Avas made from burnt- barley and put through a coffee-grinder. The food consisted of coarse rye bread, Avith carrots on one day and SAvedes on the next, while on Fridays they had had fish, Avhich had evidently been cured after it had gone bad. He expressed the firm conviction that the people of the country Avere starving, for the soldiers Avho guarded them got no better food than the prisoners. He had seen letters to their wives, in which they Avrote, “For God’s sake send us some food." There seemed to be a scarcity of potatoes, as he saAv none during the last five Avceks of his captivity.