OFFICIAL REPORT

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 207, 12 May 1915, Page 5

OFFICIAL REPORT

SWORN TESTIMONY GIVEN. GERMANS SHOOT BRITISH PRISONERS. Tlie Premier received the following from the High Commissioner, dated London, May 10th, 3.50 p.m.: Th e Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs has issued a desptch from the British Minister at the Hague, containing sworn declarations from Press correspondents regarding the shooting of British prisoners of war by Germans as follows;

“I, Johannes Martin, editor of the Rotterdanische, declare that Richard Lorenz, of the 208th Regiment, called at my office and stated that Bavarian regiments under Prince Ruprecht had received formal order to makeh.6 British prisoners, and that tho&e :soh diers who made them -were severely = On:. 18th March -Another German deserter called Friedrich Kuller, 22nd regiment, 2nd Bavarian Army Corps, stated that Bavarian regiments had received formal orders to kill every British prisoner. On 19th March another deserter called Kallmann, 35tth Regiment of Infantry, and stated that British prisoners were brought to quarters with hands bound behind their backs and bandaged over their eyes, and they w'ere not told they were to be shot. Tjhey were executed under the supervision of the Commanding Officer.” The Ditmar Press correspondent at Rotterdam, made a statement on oath as follows: "Friedrich Kuller, 22nd Regiment 2nd Bavarian Army Corps (Von Kluck’s army) informed me that about December 28th 24 British prisoners of war were shot by hi s company. One of the reasons given to him at th e time was that they belonged to the regiment that blew up the bridge over the Scheldt, near Antwerp, when many German troops were marching over it in pursuit, of the then retreating English army. Among the men shot were many officers. All Lhesg men were placed against a-.wall, one after-another, new German soldierg being called- up from th e ranks to shoot in turn.; This murder took place at Warwick by order of Major Hofmann. On a subsequent occasion onq British officer and four soldiers, who surrendered, wer e shot in the castle at Hollebeke, . after a hand to hand fight. • Paris reports that north of Arras, despite several German counter attacks, gains were maintained. The number of prisoners was over 3,000, including 40 officers. In two days they took 10 guns and 50 maejhine guns. . ’ THE RUSSIAN FRONT THE ENEMY.GAINS GROUND. HIGH COMMISSIONER’S REPORT. LONDON, May 11, 4.55 p.m. In th e region of Shavli the Russian offensive was, continued successfully. A Bavarian cavalry division, and a regiment of Prussian Guards which surrounded certain Russians, was attacked at Jeymi station by cavalry on Sunday night, and pursued several miles. In Western Galicia, after desperate engagements, the enemy scuceeded in crossing, the upper part of the Wisloka River in the region of kresno. RUSSIAN DEFEAT IN GALICIA. GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT. . 12,000 TAKEN PRISONERS.

BERLIN, May 11. Official: General Mackensen again drove the Russians from position after position, taking prisoner 12,000, despite the enemy bringing up troops hastily by rail and forced marches. The pursuit is proceeding. ZEPPELIN RAID. THE DAMAGE AT SOUTHEND AND BRITTLEWELL. ESTIMATED AT £IO,OOO. LONDON, May 10. The incendiary bombs consisted of the core ef tarred rope saturated with chemicals, and bound with wire suffi? ciently heavy to penetrate roofs. The .fuse was apparently lighted before being dropped, and was hard to extinguish. ~ The damage at Southend and Brittlewell is estimated at £IO,OOO. One bomb dropped near a prison ship, in which 1.200 German civilians were interned. There were many narrow escapes. Bombs crashed ' into a bedroom, in which were two sisters, fell a few inches from their bed, and ignited the bedroom. 1 ITALY AND WAR. ; ; - ■ •* PARIS, May 11. Le Temps reports that trains to the Italian frontier are packed with refugees ;■ ••• ■ V . • The telephone service across the; frontier isßUßpendefi. ;. . • ; • An Italian army of 600,000 is ready to take the .field. It is concentrated at *■> ■' .