GERMAN ATROCITIES.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 October 1915, Page 8

GERMAN ATROCITIES.

SWIFT RUSSIAN VENGEANCE. Mr. A. Tolson, a nephew of Mr. John Stocks, of Terang, Victoria, writes from Moscow, Russia, where he is engaged in business (says the Age):—

"During a recent engagement on the Russo-Prusian lines a member of the telephone service was secreted with his instrument in a high tree. From this position he was enabled to observe a considerable stretch of territory. A few hundred feet from the tree in which he was concealed a body of about GOO Russian troops advanced and entrenched themselves. They were observed by the Prussians, who threw several bombs charged with suffocating gas, pud then a considerable body of the enemy surrounded and took most of the men prisoners. At the same time several severe engagements took place at various points round the tree, and he found that the wire was broken He at once .wound \ip the wire to prevent detection, and watched events. From this position he saw the Prussians driving along the prisoners, many of whom were exhausted from the effects of the gas, and with difficulty kept on their feet! Those lagging behind were repeatedly struck by the Germans with the butt ends of their rifles. At this moment a Prussian officer advanced, and gave orders to bayonet all who were unable to walk as quickly as the rest. This ferocious order was immediately carried out. Many prisoners were bayoneted in cold blood. The fighting began to turn in favor of the Russians, and several bodies of the Germans were seen running back in disorder. A body of Cossacks and cavalry came rushing like a whirlwind on the fl.ink of the retiring Germans. The Cossacks were in advance of the prisoners who had been taken, and they not only released them, but took prisoner the whole of the Prussian corps remaining alive, including the officer who had given the inhuman order. The telephonist descended from the tree,' reported the incident, and took the staff to the place whero the bayoneted bodies of the Russian soldiers lay. A court-martial was at once held. The German prisoners were brought up in line, the officer and some of the men were found guilty, and their barbarous breach of the laws of war was avenged by the execution of [ the miscreants in ,front of the bodies of | their unfortunate victims."