DELIBERATE AIM.

Taihape Daily Times, 19 August 1918, Page 7

DELIBERATE AIM.

MURDERED IN A HUN COMPOUND

SCOTS GUARDSMAN SHOT IN COLD BLOOD,

The murder of a British soldier by a German soldier in a German compound is described by a British prisoner who has arrived in Holland, The murdered man was Private Barry, of the Scots Guards, He was in a receiving compound at Sennelagcr, used for men proceeding on and returning from “kommandos.” In this compound there were sixty-two prisoners of war, of all nationalities. It is in this Place that men are bathed and searched.

“'At about 5 a.m. on the morning of January 18,” states the man in Holland, “a German soldier entered tbe room and ordered eight men to draw tbe coffee from tbe camp, wbicb is about 500 yards away from tbe receiving compound. Seven prisoners of war complied with tbe order, but as tbe English cannot drink the German coffee, no Englishman went forward to draw tbe coffee for tbe twelve Englishmen there.

“Tbe German soldier ordered Private Barry, Scots Guards, to fetch tbe coffee. Private Barry said that they could not drink tbe coffee. He ordercd him a second time, and Private Barry again refused. Tbe sentiy then attempted to strike Private Barry with tbe butt of bis rifle. Private Barry pushed the rifle down with his two bands.

“The sentry then ordered the remainder of the prisoners to the other side of the room, then turning about, he walked to the door, a distance of about ten paces. On turning about again there were two Frenchmen standing in front of Barry in the line of fire. He ordered these two French men to get over to the left. He threw open his overcoat and came to the aim; as the aim was not comfortable, he cleared his shoulder of the overcoat. He then came to the aim a second time, and fired, hitting Private Barry in the left side. He died in about four minutes.

“The twelve British witnesses, whose names and regiments are in my possession, are prepared to swear that this action did not take place in the heat of the moment, but was absolutely deliberate on the part of the German soldier.

“I myself went to this room to takp a bath, and I saw Private Barry’s body lying on the floor as it had fallen, with the exception that it was then covered with a great coat. The body was removed before we were admitted into the room, but the blood was on the floor where he had fallen. One eye-witness reconstructed the whole action for me. I myself paced the distance from where Private Barry fell to the doorway from where the German soldier had fired; the distance was ten paces.”