(6) About thirty of these Germans led us into a circular traverse in Pekin Trench, and the English-speaking German said, “Pack in there and stay.” All the Germans then went out of sight. The wounded men sat on the fire-step and the unwounded remained standing. It was now about 5.30 p.m.
(7) After we had been there about two minutes a bomb was thrown into the traverse where we were, one bomb from one side and one from the other.
I shouted to the men to clear out if possible. Only one man and myself jumped over the parapet. I seized an English rifle lying on the parapet and fired down the trench. I then jumped into a shell hole about 15 yards from the traverse. It was almost full of water, in which I stood up to my neck. The other man was shot.
I heard the Germans bombing this circular traverse continuously for about fifteen minutes. At first the men I left were crying out, but after about ten minutes this ceased.
(8) I was over an hour in the shell hole, and left it after dark.
2nd Lieut. G. T. G----, of D Co., 8th ---- Highlanders, was the first person to whom I told my experiences. This was at about 7.45 p.m.
(9) The second person to whom I told them was Capt. J. E. A----, also of the 8th ----, whom I saw at about 8 p.m. the same evening.
(Signature of deponent) D. M----, Sergeant.
Sworn at Poperinghe in Belgium on active service this first day of October, 1915.
Before me, G. M. H. S----, Captain, D.A.A.G., 1st Army, Commissioner for Oaths.
REPORTS RELATIVE TO THE USE OF INCENDIARY BULLETS BY GERMAN TROOPS[96]
The Commanding Officer, 2nd Batt. The ---- Regiment.
2nd Lieut. L. E. S----, B Co., 2nd ---- Regiment.
SIR,--I have the honour to report as follows:
During the action on 15th to 16th instant my platoon occupied the right of the old German trench running from ---- to ---- between 7.30 p.m. and 10.30 p.m., 15th instant. Seventy-five yards to my front I saw six or seven men lying down in the grass. One of them attracted my attention immediately as he appeared to be smoking or to have lit a small fire. I observed him carefully and saw that his clothes were smouldering. Later on they were entirely charred black: he did not move and was apparently dead. The enemy were sniping at these men, unquestionably using incendiary bullets, as I saw three or four of these strike the ground and set the grass around on fire. The flames could be seen distinctly.