(38)
Sergeant D——, 1st Cornwalls:—About September 9th, near 6 p.m., Battle of the Aisne, I was with a platoon with orders to remain behind and delay German advance. We couldn’t see any Germans, and we therefore had done no firing for quite an hour. Our ambulance was out picking up wounded. My platoon was marching back to rejoin our Company; we were carrying our rifles. R.A.M.C. were picking up Lieut. E—— when they were fired on from the woods at a distance of about 300 yards, a regular fusillade. Lieut. E—— badly hit. Ambulance had to gallop off out of range, and we made off. Ambulance was broadside on to the enemy, and must therefore have been unmistakable.
(39, 40 and 41)
Statements taken down, after cross-examination by a Staff Officer at General Headquarters, as to incidents in the neighbourhood at Ypres:
(1) Private B. S——, 1st Black Watch, says that he saw Germans bayonet our wounded as they lay on the ground. He was wounded in the leg himself, but, seeing this, he managed to get away.
Afterwards he was with German wounded, who told him that they had been ordered to kill all English prisoners.
(2) Private W. W——, 1st Black Watch, says that he was in a reserve trench and saw the Germans bayoneting our wounded 40 or 50 yards in front of him. He was wounded in the arm and taken prisoner, but was sent for water for wounded Germans and escaped.
Says the wounded Germans in our charge told him that they had been told to kill all English and take no prisoners.
(3) Statement of Private M——, Cameron Highlanders attached.
I saw this man, and consider him thoroughly reliable as to the facts of the case.