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[Page 29]
shell fire. Any man attempting to walk from his work without permission is instantly shot; and not infrequently have men been murdered under his heading. If the men stop working and the postern is near, he promptly strikes the unfortunate men with his rifle butt. The awful human wrecks who pass through this hospital, are sufficient evidence to prove the truth of this statement. Men arrive here dressed in rags and tatters; thin, haggard, distorted, faces; their limbs are merely skin and bone-like broomsticks. One could easily count every bone in their bodies. How they manage to walk or even stand, is indeed, beyond conception. No doubt the undaunted, dogged, British spirit, carries them through.
As I have already stated, French people (mostly women) give our lads clothes and food when possible. Man arrive here daily, wearing top hats, frock coats, white dress shirts, some sort of rags for trousers, all frightfully torn and filthy. Their frightful weak state, and thin starved bodies, add ludicrously to their weird appearance. Despite the awful state the men are in, one cannot, however, suppress a laugh occasionally; they look so extra-ordinarily funny. The Huns delight in taking warm clothing and boots from Englishmen. When captured all men are promptly deprived of these articles. Many French women have been shot, and not infrequently, are they whipped and clubbed, for attempting to assist the English "slaves". We owe much to the self-sacrifice and assistance of these noble women. Not one man would survive the Reprisal treatment, without the assistance given by the French women. Very little is obtained individually and always it is secured under the most difficult and dangerous conditions. The Hun food rations are extremely small in camps near here. For instance; twenty four hours food supply seldom exceeds the following details. Eleven men to a small black loaf. Breakfast, cup of coffee. Dinner, nil. Tea; one bowl of greasy filthy hot water, containing at the very most ten pieces of "mangel wurzel". Consequently the poor wretches are compelled to resort to extreme measures to obtain additional food. Men think nothing