The evening world., 1918-09-11
GERMAN A|RMEN
FIRE ON HELPLESS
CANADIAN FLYERS
Invalid Captain Tells of Treat
ment in Hospitals and Prisons
WOUNDED Searched.

AN ATLANTIC PORT. Sept. II
On a British steamer arriving here
this afternaan. eighty Of the ninety
one passengers were Canadian Off
GERS and privates bound home on
brief leaves after year or two or
three on tho fighting fronts Of
France, Flanders and Italy. The
medals and ribbons on their breasts
looked like the show case of a jewelry
store. In the lot were twenty-five
Boche on all fronts. Some OF them
appeared to be sound, some carried
canes: a few were on crutches and
some wore an arm IN a sling.
'Invalided home!" cried Capt.
Daniel Owens II should say not.
Not on your life!"
This was the spirit OF all the Can
adams. Capt. Owens was minus his
left eye and had been six months in
German prisons and hospitals which.
according to him, are one and the
same thing.
Once you have been up against the
Boche," continued the captain, you're
going again and going as long as you
can. 1 can still ny. After you've
been in their hospitals and prisons
you're going still stronger. | went up
with Lieut.. Hacker OF the Roy Il Fly.
ing Corps on Oct. 81 in the Lorraine
sector. We were on bombing eA-
pcdition :. and were returning after
! daylight. We were about thirty miles
inside the German lines when six
airplanes rose at us
: Realizing that We had little or no
chance. we fought and ran But they
were right on our trail and bombardel
ds with bullets, one of the first OF
these taking out my left eye But |
guided my machine while Hacker
used the gun. He was struck several
times and finally an explosive bullet
tore and ripped both his legs. Ten
minutes later our engine stuck and
We had TO go down
Three OF the Boche machines fol-
lowed us down. and while they knew
we were out of control. they kept FIR
ing at us until we almost reached
the ground. They alighted and rar
to us. But instead Of sending for
medical aid, or helping us, they
helped themselves to all We had
They rolled US over, searched us anC
took all they found. We laid there
for an hour and were dumped into
cart OF filth and carried 10 a priests
house. There we were thrown th'
floor like so much freight
I'VE stayed there four hours AM
rhe only attention We got was when
ever a new man came in. lie rolled II
over again to be sure that the las
man hadn't overlooked anything w
were finally taken to the hospital o
a St. Alvord, where we remained 10
Ave weeks. Conditions there wer
awful A dog or n rat wouldn't &c
I worse treatment. The two meals
day we got were Stops. II II hadn
been for the Red Cross packages ina
! | came in we would all nave uleu' Lat
} we were taken to Karlsruhe, wher
we met the American mercantile prls
y oners."
Capt. owens said that n IT were no
for the British prisoners dlVldln
, their rations with the Americans IN
i latter would have pcrishod' Condl
= tions in the Hcidelburg prison cam
were similar to the others. lie wa
d finally sent to Holland for medica
O treatment and there exchanged.
n Lieut.. David w Pratt OF Toronto
who admits TO eighteen years old, wa
: on the Piave ono day twelve Aus
y trian observers come 'over the lin
and he went up into the air. single
> handed. to meet them. At height {
~ is, 900 feet he sent down three |
flames, then fought tho others dow
d within reach Of the anti-aircraft gun
It lie was. struck by one of the shell
from the latter and sent down wit
badly bruised legs and back.