THREE YEARS AT FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 January 1919, Page 6

THREE YEARS AT FRONT.

| II -i'2 s & £ Z.P t' 3 iS!l!«!»:H!l i 1 I S3E2S|& %=S"I" . O ( £ il_s. j f !I||! I'! „ !. S' i p MBit®? l I ■ s-? ? = ■<< %

the base, proceeded to England, which he reached within four days of tho signing of the armistice.

[ Referring to the taking of Le Quosnoy by the New Zealanders on November 4, Lieutenant-Colonel Hardie Neil said the work of the New Zealanders had been magnificent, and they had earned a reputation second to none in the British Army. He did not think the Guards would caro to claim a finer record. The Ne-.v Zealanders were in at the beginning of the British offensive in this region, and advanced the line for almost 40 miles. He spoke of the elaborate preparations for the storming of Le Quesnoy. After the ramparts had been mercilessly attacked with trench mortars arid hea>y explosives, the New Zealanders attacked in brilliant style, routin® the enemy and taking possession of the German stronghold. They followed this up with dashing fighting in the Morval Forest, the Otago Infantry being especially severe on the enemy. After the talcing of Le Quesnoy Colonel Neil established his ambulance, in a town which had been a large hospital centre. French Sisters of Mercy, who had worked in the German hospitals, told him of the appalling treatment meted out to British prisoners, and evidence which lie gathered during his stay convinced him that the stories he had heard of German cruelties were in no way exaggerated. GERMAN BRUTALITY.

The graveyards at Le Quesnoy were ample evidence of tli'e heavy death-rate among British prisoners. He was assured that the prisoners were forced to work behind the lines, and when they became ill through exhaustion, bad food, and illtreatment, they were compelled to live in a building which was used to staJble horses. They were fed on bad bread, and soup made from offal. While occupying the town tile Germans removed all objects of copper find brass and, after getting the citizens out of the houses on some pretext, removed all sheets and similar articles, which were sent to Germany for the Manufacture, of gun-cotton Many enemy officers lund taken their wives with them to avoid the food shortage in Germany, and when these women required clothing it was taken the French residents. The wine supply of the town was commandeered, and only issued to the French on a German doctor's certificate, but when the supply was getting low they put the price up to 2000 marks per bottle.

MORTALITY AMONG CHILDREN. Civiliaas were required to raise their hats to the Germans .and if they failed to the hat well above tho head they were fined 50 marks, in addition to undergoing two weeks' imprisonmentThe enemy even took all the cows away, under the pretext of sending them into Belgium, but they Here sent to Germany instead. The result of this was ■'that there was no milk for the civilian population, and many children died. Colonel Ilardie Neil said that to see the joy on the faces of the French people wnen they realised that they were free, made one realise the true nature of the German. He expressed the opinion that had it not been for the American Food Commission the plight of the civilians would have been terrible. He remarked that he did not see much evidence of rejoicing among the New Zealand soldiers on the front wljcn the news of the armistice was received, and accounted for this by the fact that after a strenuous period the division was about to be relieved, and all were too busy to give way to jubilation Herald.