Report on the transport of British prisoners of war to Germany. August-December, 1914.

  • Great Britain. Government Committee on Treatment by the Enemy of British Prisoners of War.
Date:
1918
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report on the transport of British prisoners of war to Germany. August-December, 1914. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    At Aachen there was a very hostile demonstration. There was a troop train standing at the same platform. The men swarmed out to look at the prisoners and abuse them. The train guard produced a field service pocket knife and showed the soldiers the marlinspike which he said the prisoners had used to gouge out the eyes of wounded Germans. (N.B.—The same form of pocket knife is used in the German army.) One man with a sheath knife called to his companions to drag us out and he would kill us. Lieutenant Butler, who was of the party and had been educated in Germany appealed to a senior German officer to explain to the men, but he only got abuse. Finally, the station officer came up and ordered off the soldiers and sent off the train. The party quite expected 'to be murdered. , On the march from Landrecies to Mons they passed a supply column, and many of the men were lashed with ropes ends as they passed. ee “a _ At Mons, Major Furness saw a German officer strike some of the wounded with his scabbard, because they did not understand him and get out of his way. A Whenever the train stopped on the journey, night or day, at nearly every station, a crowd of Germans, civil and military, surrounded the carriage and insulted the prisoners. 82] Dortmund—At Dortmund, they were interviewed by the station officer. They complained that they had had no food. He sent out for Red Cross ladies very unwillingly. In general, the Red Cross representatives were everywhere, if possible, the most venomous. Major Furness was told by other officers that they spat on the food before serving it to the English prisoners. . The party asked the station officer at Dortmund if food could be arranged for that night. Accordingly, at 9 p.m., they were provided with a good meal at the rail- way restaurant (station unknown). The military guard also partook, and_ the prisoners had to pay for their food, and also for that of the guard. Next morning at 7 A.M. they changed guards and were given a basin of soup. (10.) Major Lynch, R.A.M.C. Mons—Torgau, September 1-4, 1914. On the 1st September we received orders to march to the railway station at Mons, which we reached at 6.30 Am. We had no food or drink, and were insulted all day by soldiers and officers, and I was struck by a soldier. An officer ‘beat one wounded man with the flat of his sword. | We were allowed to fill our water-bottles at the station on the morning of the ist September. We were kept in a goods station at Mons from 6.30 a.m. to 7.30 P.m., and were insulted all the time. We travelled second class and were five in each carriage. I did not see the German Red Cross, and we were given no food or water. The first meal we got was on the 3rd September at Dortmund at midday. This consisted of a plate of soup and some bread.. We were given a good meal at Kriensen. The guards asked for water for them- selves and gave it tous. We had no guard to Aachen, but at Duren we got a guard of six men and one N.C.O. in the carriage. The guards told us to pull the blinds when we passed through a station, and the Germans then chalked ‘‘ Englinderen Schweinehunde *’ on the carriage windows so that the people should jeer at us. (11.) Captain Browne, R.AM.C.. Mons—Torgau, September 1-4, 1914. On arrival at Mons, the convoy, consisting of 14 R.A.M.C. officers, 300 men, and the wounded, were marched through the town twice, over cobbles and up and down the steep little hills, finally being lodged at the top of the hill, where they passed - a most uncomfortable night, entirely dependent on the food they had fortunately brought with them. At 6 o’clock the next morning they were taken to the station,