Page 2 Advertisements Column 2

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 212, 21 May 1915, Page 2

A PUNCTILIOUS PRISONER. GERMANS EXPECT TO BE SHOT. That all the German officers are not of the truculent type d’escribed by “Eye-witness” recently is shown- by the following extract from a letter written by an officer in a Scottish regiment describing the fighting at Neuve Chapelle: ' ‘ The officers taken prisoners './ere a fine lot of men. One who had been wounded in the breast walked as proud as Lucifer, though without swank,and saluted every officer he passed most punctiliously, with his hand up yards before he reached him and keeping it up there for yards after. My heart went out to him like anything, so I called the men by me to attention,and 'gave him the salute I reserve for generals.”

Courtesy, however, does not extend to all the rank and file. “I was told -by; a -medical officer,” the letter continues, “that ha offered some water to a wounded German who had an arm blown off. He simply said ‘English,’ and spat, at him, so he just left him. . . . kfy bid company had the job of escorting prisoners down, and I never saw the hoys looking so pleased with th.-nn selves, inches higher, and chests out. The prisoners were all well fed and clothed, also clean, but most of them expected to he shot straight away,and one enquired when the suffragette battalion. was coming out against them. .They seemed totally uninformed of the course of the war.”

Vernorf Becd’s out and Oftjr.g gtr^rjc**