A SOLDIER'S STORY.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 October 1918, Page 7

A SOLDIER'S STORY.

HOW HE WAS TREATED IN GEEIUNY, GREAT CRUELTY -Uiiung the soldiers who have just returned 10 Auckland wa.s one whose experience!) have been unique and thrilling beyond the average. He was shot through the lungs just outside Fers iu September, 191 U. private H J. l'oole, of Gisbome, woke up to find himscf in a German military hospital at C'ambrai. Here lie remained for a mouth, and was then taken by a Red Cross train to Parchin, in ileekenberg. where'he gradually won .back to life and some degree of health. Since then, up to Deeember 2S, 1017, he was a prisoner of war in Germany, and was moved at various times from place to place, working alternately as a prisoner of war on land or in factories. Of liis treatment in hospital he had not much to say, but the manner in which it was paid conveyed more than the mere words. "There were 40 of us on the train that took me to Parchin. The iournev occupied from 1 o'clock on Monday till 9 o'clock on Wednesday morning, and during the -whole, of the trip we received little attention. Arrived there, we were carried by Russian prisoners to a place about two miles away, and placed in hospital there. Our treatment there was not too good. A doctor only camo to see us twice 'a week, and there was very little food. During the first week five out of 40 who came with me died of starvation. The only food that was offered us was a little coarse bread and a small piece of sausage or a piece of pickled fish half raw -One of the men was offered this piece of fish He was unable to eat it. It was taken away, and next (lay it was offered to him again. This continued for a number of days, and on the seventh day he died of starvation.'' Continuing. Private Poole said that after a month he had recovered suflTicitntlv to go out, and was sent to a place capable of holding about -45 000 persons. He was put to work immediately, and the day after coming out of hospital was made to work a snow-plough to clear snow away from the barracks He had a whole suit and wooden shoes, with Tims round his feet for socks- He worked from 7.30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with an hour off at noon. The meals consisted of toiled turnips, -with perhaps a little maize meal at midday, and in the evening of a little blue peameal soup. At night he and others there had two thin blankets and a bale of hay. There was not enough food, and the weather was cold. On December 28 he was, sent to work on a farm near a place called Sehwichtenberg, where he was kept for ten months- His papers showed that he came from New Zealand, and the people at first thought he was a cannibal, children fleeing from him in fear when they saw him. A3 the weeks passed, however, and he began to speak a little German, his treatment by the civilians improved. He was billeted with a farmer. "After a time," he said, "the old lady treated me like a son. She gave me ft good bed, washed my clothes and mended theiu for mo. I was not doing so badly." During the day he was working on a farm, sentries lieing posted at various points to see that the prisoners did not escape. The treatment of the military people was quite different to that of the civilians; they were cruel and harsh. "In the German army." the speaker went on, "noncommissioned officers are saluted as well as officers. We had to do the same. That was all right: it was their grstem. and we had to fall in with it. Ono the sentries who was not a non-comm" 'incd officer wanted ine to salute him. T refused. and for punishment (and Tfere his voice tro\- on a erim note) lie lmnrr me up hv the wrists with m.7 feet off the ground and placed a howl of coup at tnr feet with a view to adding somethin? to the torture. T was left hansrin? there from 0.30 in the morning till 5 o'clock in the eveninu, and was then taken down and placed in barracks for the night. Next morning I was again strung up, though on this occasion mv feet were just able to touch the gnu; ' At midday I fainted, and they took down. I was placed in banacks till next morning, when I was again strung. | up and a bowl of soup placed on the ground in front of me. At about 3 o'clock they took me down. All the foodl I had during that time was the bowl of soup which was placed within sight of aje fftch day. This was given to me' in the evenings wTien I was placed in' fcarracks. Had it not been for parcels wc received from the Central War Committee under the Order of St. .Tohn,'" he' said, "we could never have lived l throiiifh it. These parcels came to aa ferrrly regularly after we had been in a»J* particular place for some time." 1

Private Poole owed his deliverance to> a Belgian count, who was also a prisoner and suffered from Id's lungs. This man' was so had that he was sent to Switzerland, where he at once improved. The Geneva Red Cross Society was interested irr the speaker, and as a result, thrTatter was sent to Mannheim, wherehe waft eTOmTOcJ toy m doctor, and: a.fe>) sent to- Switzerland. "For three weeks. 5 ' he said, T and a number of others who were ill' waited to he sent. awav. We wctb practicalTv starvins. and cmiM get nothing. I don't, like to think of thosethree weeks: they are like a Kid dream." Finallv, however, orders cams that they wew to be-sent away.