The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-03-02

his successful dash
 The South African who had made such gallant attempts to escape, and about which I have told you, inform ed me that he saw GA of our lads sent into Germany after working behind the enemy lines in France. They were in a terrible state, and, before five weeks had passed, their number was reduced by death to 16. Within anoth- CT week eight more of the lads died from hunger and exposure. When only eight men out of 64 were left the South African was sent away from the camp, therefore he could not tell the fate of the survivors
 One of our boys whom I met had just returned from the Russian front where he had been working behind the lines. He was a D. c. M. man, and belonged to the Kings Own York shire Light Infantry. Though he had been shot through the shoulder, and the wound was still unhealed, he was sent to the Russian front to work: He told me that the party was practical ly starving to begin with, and yet they had to get their meals from the soup after the German soldiers had taken their share. This meant that they practically got favored colored wa ter.
 On reaching the danger zone, which was well in the line of artillery fire, there were lined up in front of company of Uhlans, who were attir- ed in full war array With them was an officer, who addressed the men as follows
 "You will not work in Germany. We have got supreme charge here, and what we do here cannot be charg- ed against Germany. You are in Rus sia now Therefore, you have to work. I give you two minutes to decide whether you will work or not. If yoi choose not to work, then my men will do their duty.'
 The duty I may add, was for the Uhlans to charge and trample down the prisoners as they stood.
 Having given the order, the officer stood smiling in front of his men. Some of the prisoners went so far as to tell the officer to get on with his murder. Naturally there were others who did l 1t want to meet with this end, and eventually they persuaded the more daring of their comrades to agree to work.
 The D. c. M. told me that he wa: made to stand on his feet all night through. He went sick the following morning, but he was turned out tC work, and forced to work all night He was also made to resume his worl the next morning, and for three week! he stuck this until his strength gavt way altogether. He was forced to gt into hospital but was ordered out After he had put n another week. misery he was sent back to Burg8tetn furt, an utter wreck.
 Thi5 soldier told me that he hat seen prisoners die as they were work ing. Though it was midwinter ever, man was stripped of his shirt, ant very often they had to work up | their waists in snow and slush Thos men who were net working har' enough to please the task-master were either kicked from behind o banged in the ribs with the butt-en of a rifle. The treatment was so ter rible that Q large number of the me became mentally deranged.
 I had these stories confirmed b the condition of a prisoner belcnGin to a Lancashire regiment, who ha also been in Russia behind the Ger man lines When he left the Gcrma lines he had to De carried away t a hospital, where he was detained fo three months. He was the victim ( most callous trick 1erpetrated b the doctor, who tore the patients pa pers up and then threw him out ( the hospital. He was then sent { stone quarry, where the workin hours were very long. The Lancashil lad was no use there. The result WE ha f1,I SIr for alleged malingering. At last, hoy ever, word was got through to u commandant of the head camp tn; the poor fellow was being tormente Soon afterwards the suffering pri oner was sent back to hospital BUrgsteinfurt, where he remained f six weeks. He was afterwards to that he had not to work for at lea a month, but he had hardly been CO valescent three days before the "bel webble" called upon him to go work.
 The poor fellow was crippled wi rheumatism, and could hardly hobh along. He was, nevertheless, fore to put on his clogs like the. rest b when he came to march with the ot CT boys he found he could not ke up to them. The boys tried to ke with him, put the sentry, ln1nEl that they were not going qui enough, called the Lancashire boy pig, and then stuck him repeated in the back with the butt-end of rifle. Our lads resented this alta upon the helpless prisoner. The 'be webble' appeared on the scene, a we told him that unless the sent stopped beating the boy we wot not do any more work. Following Il scene the boy was treated much b ter.
 French Airman,s Attempt on Kai
 I came across a prisoner who V working at Krupns' at Essen. WI the Allies raided it from the air. I bombs just missed the massive TOT but clean wiped out a street of hous killing over 50 soldiers.