CIVILIANS AS SHIELDS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 213, 16 February 1915, Page 8

CIVILIANS AS SHIELDS.

I On;- of tli,; many terriblo accusations against Germany's troops, says the lierne correspondent or l!ie Chronicle, that they have 011 several occasions used civilians an a shiild against the enemy's fire. This liar, been indignantly denied ill Germany. and lias been laughed to .scorn by one or two Knglishmen, who, having made .something of a reputation in J;t<■ ratare. now sit in their arm•chairs and consider themselves war "experts in extraordinary" to the British public. "Out of their own .-mouths we will convict them." On page 2 of one of the Meunehner Xcueste Naehrichten editions (number .US), published on October 7, Lieutenant A. Kberlein describes the occupation of fit. Die by the Germans. lliis oliieer entered tile town at the head of an advance detachment which was forced to barricade itself in a house while awaiting reinforcements. Here is an almost word for word translation of an interesting passage:—• But have arrested three other civilians, and now I get a good idea. They are placed o n chairs and it is intimated to them that tliev must go and sit down in the middle of the street. Supplications on the one hand. , few blows from ride-butts on the Other. Little by little one becomes terribly harsh. At length they are seated outside in the street. How many prayers of anguish they utter T do not know, but their hands are clasped together all the lime as though thev had the cramp. lam sorry for them, but the means are immediately effective. The fire directed on our flanks slacken at once, and we can now occupy the house opposite, and are thus masters of the principal, street. Kveryone who stilt /shows himself in the street is shot. The artillery has also worked hard during tins period, and when towards seven o'clock in the evening the bricade advances to the assault to deliver us, T am able to mate,. ()„. report, ".St. Die is clear of enemies.'' As I have since learned, the reserve

regiment. , wlitclt cniir.-a fit. ])j,. further north. has "had experience •'!- vorietlk-r Mini!:!!' to ours. The four civilians whom they forced to sit ii i„ the street arc dead, killed Ik J rench bullets. I have Seen them myself. stretched out in the middle of » Street near the hospital. This story is told by a German officer who is one of its chief characters: not by it "gutter journalist."