WAR JOTTINGS

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 158, 9 March 1915, Page 7

WAR JOTTINGS

GERMANS BAFFLED IN AT- | TEMPTED ARREST. PROPERTY STOLEN AND TEBEA7 TO KILL FATHER. There has arrived in London, says an English paper, a young Englfehrcnn, who, with his parents, has lived for tho past 17 years in Belgium, and his only by his own ingenuity and during escaped internment as a prisoner of war in Germany. For the reason that his father, mother, sister, wife —ai Belgian lady—and only child are stil'L in Belgium, it is impossible to give .'his name. When the war broke out this young Englishman, who was in a gC'Od situation in Belgium, was plaeedf in cruel position. As soon as the Germans reached his town they immediately arrested the civilian population of militaray age and gent them as prisoners of war to Germany. If he remained with his wife and child that would have been his fate, and he decided, his wife agreeing, that it would be better for him to try and get away to England. He might possibly be of some service to them here, but, as aprisoner of war in Germany, he would be helpless.

COMMON THIEVES'. "Soon after the beginning of the war," lie said, "about 20 German soldiers were quartered at my father's house. They made my sister act as servant to them, and first ordered her to fetch a pail of water. When she brought it, several them, pointing their revolvers at her head, said: 'Drink some; if it is poisoned we are going to shoot you.' "Many of them were very brutal, though not all, but they were all thieves, and out of a ten-roomed house my father, mother, and sister, were allowed only one room for their own use. They stole everything they could lay their hands on, and took the goods away in a handcart, I suppose to be sent to Germany.

"Two days after the arrival of the Germans they said to my father, in their usual insolent way: 'We want to make soup, go and fetch some vegetables from your garden.' He had to go; there was no choice, lie had bosTt in the garden only about ten minutv.s when two 'Bochs' came up with fired bayonets nad said, 'Yoic are wanted by the officer.'

"He was taken before the officer in command, and a soldier brought about 200 German cartridges wrapped in a towel. • The officer declared that the cartridges had been found in my father's room, nad another officer put his sword to my father's chest and said he was going to kill him. Just as my father thought they were about to carry out their threat, they bega.n palt.eiing-• nni^igHt" and" finally let him go, telling him that if he came back to his house he would be shot at sight. "After going from one staff officer to another for about eight days and pleading with them, he managed to get permission to remove what was left of his furniture, chiefly heavy articles, on condition that heleft beds, tables, and chairs for the use of the soldiers. All the cutlery, linen, glassware, etc., had been carried away by the Germans.

BRITISH ARRESTED. "At ," continued our informant, "things were quiet until the Germans began to arrest all British male subjects up to 55 years of age, and take them to Germany as prisoners of war. They first seized the 'Civil Lists' at the Town Hall, and in this way obtained the names and addresses of British subjects. Besides, they had information supplied to them by spies. When they came to arrest me I was not there, so they took my father, who came to my house wh.ni he was driven from his own home, and kept him in close confinement for three days. At the end of three days they released him, as he is nearer GO than 55.

"The 'Bodies' came back everyday for about three weeks to see if I had returned, but all the time I was safely hidden in a friend's house in a town not far away, and at the end of three weeks I managed to escape into Holland in disguise." The German hatred of the British passes all bounds. When trains taking prisoners cf war to Gensir.iiy stoo at Liege the people try to gi7o the men cakes, chocolate, etc. The Germans often allow the French and Belgians to accept the things, but woe betide the British prisoner who attempts to take anything. He receives a blow with the butt-end of a rifle.

PEGCUD'S VALOUR REWARDED. LONDON. Atj'.rcli r.. Pegoud .has received the Military Medal for attacking throe Taubcs under circumstances cabled on February 14. ANOTHER ZEPPELIN DAMAGED. AMSTERDAM March 6. The Zeppelin LS was seriously damaged when descending at Tirlemont. A NEW ZEALANDER KILLED. LONDON. March 7. Lieut. Kenneth Thompson, of the Indian cavalry, lately of Geraldine. Nov.-Zff-and, was killed in the Persian Gulf fighting. POOD FOR GERMANY'S MILLIONS. SCANDINAVIA SUPPLYING. COPENHAGEN, March 7. There are heavy food exports from all parts of Scandinavia to Germany. Sis thousand cars are awaiting discharge orders. The associated bacon factories censure fellow members trading with Germany, which offera high -