South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-09-30

But it belongs properly in this Humanity
Germany and L give il here in Col. Vandeleurs own
words. He recovered from his early wound returned
TO the front his escape and was again wounded
this time seriously the battle Neuve Chapele
brave man. this British officer and very honorable
gentleman:
I stationed near La Basse on oct 3. 1914
the 10Th infantry brigade The trenches at that point
than a mile raining.
AT 4:30 in the morning forward with IS
and six officers to a village between the lines.
The Germans were there in greater force than had
expected, and they attacked with three four
chine We retired into farmhouse, and the
Germans attacked there setting fire TO the house
with hand grensdes fire confetti and petrol squirts
THE matched roof began TO burn and whole
half was burned before we got it out got into
other end Of the building. and there had hand-to-
hand fighting, shooting at close quarters Our
tillery firing heads the Germans. but
achievements I have learned since that
they thought all gone.
by midafternoon l had a bullet wound my leg
only six men the left who could fight AS
the men were wounded we carried them to the Gel
lar.
AT 5 D. IN it grew dark and the Germans commenced
charge building putting dynamite under the
house and blowing one end of it. Most Of the time
l was in the loft firing down My revolver was use
less but had a bayonet and rife.
we had water and the wounded men were thirsty
W. had to stand bodies shoot
AT last $50 that night there only six Of
left The wounded in the cellar were being burned
The Germans had heaped stacks OF straw about the
buirSing and had set fire TO It.
Il surrendered a Prussian cavalry guard. who
shook hands with the survivors and treated US very
well. We ordered TO come out by
arms in the air.
ILL TREATMENT BEGINS.
The next day they marched US from La Basse to
Lens. Here, 1 had been shot in the leg, 1 asked
for a conveyance. and finally put in motor From
that time ill-treatment began.
We stood up in market square in Douay with
a sentry guard There insulted and
cursed by both German officers and soldiers At night
although wounded put empty she'd
without straw to lie had had food all Of
that day. But night some French women brought
fin dimes for mon
"Al of coats were taken away. walked
about to keep warm At one place one of my officers
insulted by German officer, who spat in his face.
AT the railway were lined up and entrained, 80
of being shut in one small horse built to hold
only horses. with windows perfectly dark.
The several inches deep in
the very small one there was room either
sit lie
For three days and three nights we stood. / on
my wounded leg. The doors even opened
for so hours There was no air whatever and were
fainting
AT Mons the doors were opened and I was pulled
out by order of the officer in charge Of the station and
cursed filthy language Then he ordered a German
soldier to kick me- wounded as I was back into the
He did this and I fell sprawlng in the filth
the bottom Of the car.
AT the end Of 80 hours they gave water and one
slab OF black bread for each man."
ESCAPES TO ENGLAND.
In Crefeld, 80 miles from the Dutch frontier were
500 officers Conditions were very bad there
following February Vandeeur made his escape
swimming canals and undergoing terrible hardshps
on his arrival in England the king sent for him and
the immediate result that the king. through
ambassador to Germany, large be
pended for British prisoners of war
1 have been careful TO give only such testimony
reached me direct. The king and queen OF the Bel
gians and Col Vandeleur each told o these German
lnhumaniues TO me, myself wrote them down at
the time. They unexaggerated, unemphasized fiat
statements Of witnesses in the against
So we have seen how the Germans conducted them
selves in Belgium and how they treated British
officer, which IS by means isolated case. For
this not TO but in Col Vandeeur's statement 10
the British offce-he tells OF ahead Of his
where the being threatened with sufocaton they
hammered so madly on the walls Of the that
carpenter was brought who cut a small round hole
for air
Let US see, for moment, what the Belgians had a