ENEMY BRUTALITY.
AUSTRALIANS' STORIES. London, Jan. 2. Stories which cause Australian cheeks to burn with shame are told by Australian officers who were prisoners in Turkev.
Lieutenant Poole was brought down in
is aeroplane north of Jaffa. He was
not maltreated, but saw his observer, Hancock, kicked by the Turks. They took five weeks to reach Constantinople, where they were compelled to pay exorbitantly for food, and were locked in a small room for a month.
It was a continuous fight to get sufficient food. They were transferred to various camps alive with vermin, as a result of which Hancock got smallpox. He was medically neglected, but recovered.
Lieutenant Vautin says that the officers were frequently forced to sing in the streets and bazaars for food, the populace throwing them scraps of filthy bread. He was confined in cells for ten days at Constantinople fof no reason, given no food, but bribed the warder with a sovereign to bring him a loaf of bread. When he was brought down, howovor, the German pilot treated him in the kindliest manner, and presented him with an inscribed watch. Lieutenant Stornmouth was one of 17 captured on August 8 on Gallipoli. Only six survived their imprisonment, which was ceaselessly har)sh and vexatious. Officers were robbed right and left, and are unanimous that Mnsloon Bey should be hanged for his diabolical practices. It is understood that he and 17 others are now awaiting trial at British hands. Many Australian officers from Holtminden prison cam]\ confirm the worst stories of brutality, for which the commandant, Colonel Niemever, has been indicted by the British press. T,ieutenr...t A. Marshall, a Tasmarilan, eanturcd at Bulleoourt, states that the attempted murder of Lieutenant Couston is indefensible. Couston was shot in the arm, and held tip Ms hands, but the sentry fired four more shots, until he smashed his jaw. Couston was left for dend and the sentry was given a fortnight's furlough as a reward. V'.fi r , f ,. •<>- i>eonetitly stopped the malls, stole their nareels and left the officers fo starve. He ordered the prisoners to the cells for no reason. As for instnne\ an Englishman was kept 'n TTfc cells for 120 days for not removing his Tiine ! i the cnmninndnnt's presence, and fhen c>iirt rmrtmied and sentenced to months' Imprisonment. T.'entennn* T von n Wet Australia' l with n 7iu'>ih' i r o* 1 fTin-iU'iinprt. hv v tov ' Ion" end 12 feet deep, but wer" recap tured.
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Taranaki Daily News, 30 January 1919, Page 7
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410ENEMY BRUTALITY. Taranaki Daily News, 30 January 1919, Page 7
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