HUN PECKSNIFF.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 173, 12 May 1916, Page 4 (Supplement)

HUN PECKSNIFF.

ENGLISH AND CHARGED. 'WOUNDED GERMAN TIED TO iREii A-\D ISLD AS DECOY.' ANSWER : THERE WAS NO TREE. THERE \\ EKE NO INDIANS. A remarkable charge against British troops in connection with German wounded is made b>' the German Government through the United States Embassy in Berlin. The story illustrates even better than that ot the Baraiong the Hun Pecksniff and the state o! mind of the niurderec who cries '•.Murder:" The German Government says that British troops in front of their trenches at Aubers tied a wounded German temporary officer to a tree, opened tire on him when he waved ins handkerchief to n.e German lines, and repulsed by the.r lire the attempts made by the Germans to free him from his desperate position.

In '''proof" of this is submitted' NOT the evidence of the officer himself, but a sworn statement by Non-Commissiou-ed Officer Weidmann as follows:

In the night of March 17-18 last our company occupied a trench near Aubeis. la the trench thiTfi was a wounded Bavarian infantry t-oldier; he related his experiences ard I was pre ent and heard his story. He was wounded, so he said 1 , in th • upper part of the thigh when 5 yards from the English line, and lay there when our troops retired on M<>rch 12. Thereupon Englishment and Indians came out of their trench and removed the equipment from the German wounded, the Indians also striking the wounded' with the butts of their lilies.

FEIGNING DEATH. From March 12 to 17 live days and five nights—he lay there feigning death by day. During this time he sa,w the English tie a German temI pcJrary officer to a tree in front of their position. The latter once made signs with his handkerchief anc was thereupon fired on. A German officer and some men attempted 'o release ' the man, but did not succeed on account of the enemy's fire. They approached him so closely as to be able to speak to him, and he said he came from Wurzburg. Another day, in tae infirmary at Aubers, the woundecJ liavanan private told the doctor of his experiences in my presence. Besides he had, when we.found him in the trench, a rope about -3 feet long tied to his foot. When I asked him the reason for this rope lie answerec that the English had lied up the German wounded with such rope.-, in order to prevent their return. The Bavarian private's story was also heard by units of the 13th Infantry Regiment; they also spoke about it considerably. THE TREE.

There is also a sworn statement by Stretcher-bearer Lance-Corporal Bischoff saying that he was called to a wounced" Bavarian in a trench at AuIvei'S : He told us that he had lain five (lays and live nights in front of the English position. By daylight he feigned death. He saw Englishmen kill our wounded. He further noticed that they had tied a wounded acting lieutenant to a tree; the man signalled with his handkerchief, whereupon one of our efficers and' some men tried to re'ease him. They came up to within four yards of the man, but were then compelled to return by English machinegun fire. CRUSHING REPLY.

The rep'y to this amazing attempt by the ravishers of Louvain to discredit the British Army is crushing. General Sir William Robertson, Chief Of Staff to Sir Douglas Haig, produces this proof:

I.—The Germans say the man was tied to a tree.

ANSWER: There were no trees in that part of the line to which a man could be tied. 2. —The Germans mention Indians. ANSWER: There were no Indians. 3.—The Germans speak of what they saw."

ANSWER: Our lines were too far away for them to see any occurrence in detail (see later: the distance was over 500 yards.)

FATUOUS STORY. After the facts, the probabilities. Sir W. Robertson says in effect: The officer is said to have said that he lay in the open nve days and five nights. Unable to move all that time and' without food, whence came the strength to crawl back to the German trendies at the end of that time —a distance of 500 yards at the closest point? What was the possibility of so crawling across 500" yard* c: open ground!' And finally, what would be the mental state of a man after such an experience?

Titer are other discrepancies. The officer says he escaped being killed by feigning death. But the witness Weidmann says the officer had' a rope tied to his leg by the English to prevent his return to liis own lines.

Moreover, the officer is stated to have said that a German officer and some men attempted to release him when he was tied to the tree but could not because of the British lire. But they approached within speaking distance and learned that the officer was from Wurzburg, Where is the testimony of the officer and the men who performed this teat? And l where is the testimony of the wounded officer himself?

THERE ARE NO TREES. Sir William Robertson closes with a contemptuous reference to an accusation on so flimsy a basis. Accompanying his reply ; s a statement bv Captain and Adjutant R. C. Chichester Constable, the R'He Brigade, Jit whose lines, as ho says plainly, the atrocity took place if at all. He it is who report* to Sir William Robertson :

That here nre no trees, that the enemy's line "was separated from oars by some 5(10 v.irds of ahrolutely ground." He describe how the only prisoners taken at that time were cared for with t he con s : d<>ration that is a tradition of the British Armv . (HEAR BAVARIAN' LIVES.

It is poss'.h'e that in the report of Lieutenant-Colonel C. A. AiK.<erson, Commandin" Indian Corps, Beilin may find the explanation that it seeks: The nearest Tndian troops were fully .Will yards south <,f the trenches opposite Aubers.

"Tho absurdity of a badly wounded man crawling 3,01X1 yards too apparent to be worth discussing," says Colonel Anderson.

But this is not the point that will interest Berlin. What Berlin will be concerned about is: That when wounded Bavarians cry "Comraco, help me!'' Prussians make no attempt at rescue, and even fire at British officers when at night they go out to bring in these wounded. This is on record on the testimony of Major Dopin-Hepenstal, Captain Sanders, Captain Nosworthy, and men of the 1-lst Gurkhas, who themselves rescued several wounded Bavarians of tho 16th and 20th Bavarian Reserve Regiments "at considerable risk .o themselves." Two of these men were actually lying nearer the German than tho British trenches. Other rescues are spoke: l , of my Colonel Anderson, who says: "Two Havarians spoke bitterly of tl'.e way in which they had been deserter.' by the Prussians." It would appear, therefore, that the concern of Berlin for the Bavarians is not shared by Prussians at the front, a matter which obviously calls for inquiry—at Berlin.