El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-01-08

I NdIlE OF LLE Germans LEEELEAlEL
myself to death. and although 1 have
/ been IN Switzerland for over a year
and my hardships and privations
ought 10 be dimmed by the genuine
kindness OF a country already badly
/ hit by the war which RACES about her.
l cannot yet realize my good fortune
that I am alive
During the time I was a captive I'm
Z the hands Of the enemy my comrades
died In hundreds through starvation
and privation. When I was taken
[ prisoner I was man In good sound
I health. except for a slight sErapnel
wound. Ny weight about that slime
would be something like 146 pounds.
7 when crossed the frontier into
Switzerland / weighed eXac'-y 20
pounds
That statement is eloquent OF the
treatment Of British prisoners Of war
Never once did the enemy serve us
out one meal fit for human consrmp-
ton THE BREAD WHICH WE SAW
I OCCASIONALLY WAS MADE FROM
DIRTY POTATO Feelings AND
SAWDUST, and was so heavy that
loaf was q difficult thing TO carry.
Soup OF skilly. or whatever they called
IL. was simply hot water which had
been washed through vegetables
Later on. when we were allowed 20
receive parcels. we lived entirely ON
food sent from home. and we then
had the satisfaction of seeing Cu-
guards begging food from US
How Was CAPTURED.
I am soldier with j. years SER
vice and first saw war in south
on the morning 7 was captured we
were in d second line trench and from
dayn until Il o'clock we were III one
of the hottest corners Of the war
Hundreds Of our division were hit
al hrrfr- rrH
seen approaching The trenches and
we Immediately sighted our rifles
Don't fire" warned the officer.
They're X Z r. men, and we with
held our fire.
They approached nearer AMI. when f.
IL was too late. the mistake was dis 3
covered. By that time the enemy had I
enClrcled US and being in such over I
widening numbers. there was nothing
else TO DO but surrender
our officer climbed over the trench 3
and held up his arms and the signal .
was accepted. Men We're lying dead 4
IN all directions and the means OF /
the wounded were terrific
Wen shot Down and BuyOneted.
Ever treacherous our captors. men !
Of the BavariaH and Prussian guards. 4
ordered us 10 leave the trenches. and .
as we mounted the uarapers they fired +
on US. many Of our men being killed ;
in this manner However. q number I
OF us managed to survive and we were
ma -S1alled together and searched
Even while the search was proceed
Ing, many men lost their lives by be- /
inE bayOneted with a saw bayoneL" f
n blade with jagged edges capable Of I
causing untold agony even in tCath-
Every scrap Of equipment was .
taken off US They went through our \
pockets and took letters and photo /
graphs, watches, lewelry and. in fact I
everything VARIABLE and invaluable. [
If a man was found in possession Of I
anything German-articles which
might perhaps have been taken off I
dead Germans-that mans fate was /
assured Before one could wink. q I
bayonet was thrust through him.
Wounded Refused Help.
Our jack knives seemed TO possess
fascination for the enemy The /
spike they swore We used TO poke out I
the Germans eyes. and the Tin o3ener I
they were convinced was used to make I
dunn dunn bullets They're a ghOulish T
lot
As 7 have stated. many OF our men
were wounded, and some so severely :
that they were crying for help. yet {
we were not allowed to go near them D
Men OF Highland regiments ap-
peared 70 be the CHIEF objective or
the German hate. They couldn't seem
10 do enough against these men. and &
! saw several Of the wounded ones 4
in the mud.
When everything had been taken off +
US we. who we're still alive were 4
formed up and marched from the D
scene Those who could. had 10 carry /
our wounded, the German wounded. T
booty.
Beaten by Guards. z
As we moved along our guards hit i
at US with the but end Of thei- rifles.
their fists and anything else which
came 10 their hands. We had NOT
gone very far when we were halted .
by German brigade of artillery. .
Ihese men lashed at Us with heir .
whips and afterwards began to s+-rn
puttees.
In the early days OF the war khaki
clotnlng was one Of the necessities OF
SPY ing. and II was for that reason
llaL our uniforms were taken. Many \
OF the Germans could talk English. I.
having been employed in England and !,
the united States previous to the war. \
W caring our khaki uniforms. OF even 4
Just great coats, they would be able 1
70 90 a great deal OF damage.
owe Lives to German officer.
" nile on this march TO CAPTIVITY p
l met one of the best Germans He :,
had the normal heart Of a civilized I
being. and the lives Of those who did n
eventually reach camp are to the \
-
OF the column, and as we marched i
along towards Lille he did his best TO l
protect US from assaults OF the Ger
man soldiers He spoke English and
appeared 10 be quite decent sort Of /
chap
However. despite his protection. we
were not safe. Before reaching Lille !
we were marched to and halted at
another town, where we ere Cougre-
gated in the town square and cxhib-
tied 20 the Inhabitants. 1 thought the
German soldiers and men were bad.
but the women were worse Altn0ugh Z
we had no means OF protection or re-
tallation. they threw bricks. stones
and Jumps OF anything movable al us.
our guards made no effort to keep \
the people back. and those women )
who could get near enough spit IN our
faces
swine. English swine" were the
only British words they seemed to /
know
There were some Beigians whom I
seeing in the distance. They
were cryings distressed at the treat
ment which was being meted out TO
our men Some endeavored TO reach
US with food, but they in turn were
pushed back by the guard and were
III treated by the bystant-
srs.
We eventually passed on from this
place, after our guards had exhibited /
the Highlanders as the women OF
England. who had come out to fight"
and, after marching for some hours
reached Lille.