CALLS FOE TREACHEROUS.
Reading edition
In a letter written to relatives in London Corporal N. Hastings of the Guards accuses the Germans of treachery. He writes:
"If the papers were permitted to send their correspondents to the front they would have something to say which would open the eyes of the world about the Germans. It is an insult to Zulus to compare these squareheads to them for treachery. Some of them fight fair and square, but there are thousands of them who are devoid of all human feeling. Near the banks of the River Aisne they had been attacked and driven down by rifles and machine guns. A small number of the Northamptons were in a trench when 400 or 500 of the Germans held their hands up. The 'Cobblers' were ordered not to fire, and an officer asked in French and English if they surrendered.
"They came on in skulking manner and some of them threw down their rifles. In every way they showed they were giving themselves up as prisoners. The 'Cobblers' were priding themselves on the capture and the officer said, 'We have a haul here,' as they got near the trench. When they were three or four yards away they poured a murderous fire at the poor fellows. They had not a dog's chance and nearly all were knocked over. The devils then tried to get back and ran for their lives, but our battalion was soon after them. Before they got many yards a machine gun ripped them up and scores of them rolled over. Some of them got away, but our battalion got them in the rear. Our lads were simply furious at such treachery.
"I had a narrow shave as I fell over one of their wounded, and before I could get up again a bullet whizzed through the sleeve of my coat, but he who fired was shot through the head the next second. Some of the German officers are low bred. They are not like ours—gentlemen—and when they get a chance they gorge themselves and get mad drunk, so what can you expect from their men? I have spoken to several prisoners—one seemed a decent chap and spoke English well, having worked in London—and they admit it. The one who spoke English was a sergeant and he said his officers were perfectly mad because they were unable to get into Paris."