THE EUROPEAN WAR.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 259, 24 December 1914, Page 1

THE EUROPEAN WAR.

Facts From Folkestone.

The Distressed Belgians'

Horrors of Warfare.

The following extracts from a letter written by a lady ambulanceworker at Folkestone (South of England) to her brother, Mr W. H Ellen, of Otaua, give a few vivid incidents of the effects of the great struggle now proceeding between the European powers. The letter deals with the arrival of a transport ship with wounded soldiers and Belgian refugees. Her description of the wounded patriots makes most pitiable reading. All the local doctors and ambulance workfrs were engaged in alleviating suffering, and were kept busy from 5 p.m. to 5 p m. the day following. Seventeen operations had to be performed on board, some of tho wounds being very distressing. " Of the large number of refugees aboard only 200 came off at the time, the others being too starved and exhausted and had to be fed from the harbottr platform. It is a tremendous struggle to find room for them all. There are about 15,000 in the town now. Bome ave fairly wealthy, but others have only the clothes they have on ; some have uo coats, and the women have aprons on just as they tied from the oncoming Germans."

" I do hope the Kaiser won't win," continues the writer. " Somehow I can't think the Almighty would prosper a man that slaughters and destroys as he does. If you could seo the wounded and the refugees—but no, you don't want to see it, everything is so terrible. Even strong men cry to see the distress and wounded. One little boy came off the boat (four years old) with his arms cut off nearly to the elbows, and his mother could only point and say Germ-huns." Another extract refers to the measures taken against possible invasion. "All the street lamps aro painted black on the soa side, none of the big lamps aro lit and all are put out at 10 o'clock. The church clocks are not lit because of the danger of hostile aeroplanes, and no lights are allowed outside shops. Only yesterday the Germans torpedoed a ship off the Straits of Dover, and considering how near we are to the war the town is very cheerful. The other day we could hear the boom of guns across the channel; and we have since heard rumours of conscription."