FRANCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 April 1917, Page 5

FRANCE.

SCENES OF DESOLATION. PMARKABLB LETTERS. - London, April 9. ' Newspapers publish remarkable private letters which describe the peasants' return to the. reconquered parts of . Fltace. All smells of the Boche. One cannot mistake it. It is awful passing through the scenes of desolation, with villages smouldering, churches blown up, cemeteries desecrated, and peasants' furniture scattered outside ruined cottages. ,AH the males betwen lo- and 6ft; besides the robust women, have been carped off. The men were compelled .to falote the Hun olflcers by removing their caps and loweripg them to the level of this elbow. There were frequent tollealls and as each man answered he filed past the Boche officer with uncovered head for 15 metres before reaching liim and 15 metres after passing him. Letters show that there are lots of Boche babies about. Many women left .with the retiring Huns. • Last nigtt a party of Boehes arrived M oae place. The news spread rapidly and the villagers collected in the square and hooted and yelled at the Huns, • ghouting, "Dirty Boehes, murderers, inpehdlaries, robbers, pigs." One old voman spat in the face of a particularly arrogant-looking Boche officer, and exclaimed: "Dirty Bbclui, you m the truth for the first time when {on said we should see you back, and j are enough we have." there was much merriment when a . party of prisoners wa® told off to clean tip some of the filthy they had made. The inhabitants gathered round jeering.