tle. It
gave in great detail all the salient facts which were that after
recapturing certain lost positions, the men of a certain regiment had
discovered the body of one of their sergeants, together with those of
two privates, crucified on the doors of a cowshed and a barn. German
bayonets had been driven through their hands and feet and their
contorted faces gave every appearance of their having died in great
agony. This story was and is generally believed throughout all ranks
of the Canadian Army. For its truth I cannot vouch.

We knew that our own men had never mistreated any prisoners and had in
fact usually done quite the reverse. How far other regiments may have
gone in retaliation for what was known as "The Crucifixion," it is
impossible to say. That prisoners may have been killed is possible,
for such things become an integral part of war once the enemy has so
offended. But we could not believe that there had been any cutting of
throats as that would imply a sheer cold-bloodedness that we could not
stomach.

The mob surged around and reviled us, while the guards, in high good
humour, translated their remarks, unless, as was frequently the case,
they were made to the officials in English for our benefit. The other
British soldiers were left in their cars.

Our wounded were getting very badly off by this time. It was
impossible to avoid trampling on one another as the car was very dark
at best and the one small window in the roof was closed as soon as we
drew into a station. When taken out we were under heavy escort and
were allowed no opportunity to clean up the accumulated filth of the
car. We suffered terribly for food and water, and some of the wounds
began to turn, so that what with exhaustion and all, we grew very
weak.

At one station the guards took us out and made us line up to watch
them eat of a hearty repast which the Red Cross women had just brought
them. And we were very hungry. When, we too, asked for food they said:
"Nix! Nix!" The crowds met us at every station and included women of
all classes, who called us _Englaender Schwein_ and who at no time gave
us the slightest assistance, but, instead, devoted themselves to the
guard.

Other men told us later that Red Cross women had spat in their
drinking water and in their food. There was no opportunity for this in
our case as we did not receive any of either.

We did not receive any food during this trip, which lasted from the
morning of one