But this will not apply to the case of a whole
unit advancing as if to surrender, or letting the other side advance to
receive the pretended surrender and then opening fire. Under this head
we find many depositions by British soldiers and several by officers. In
some cases the firing was from a machine gun brought up under cover of
the white flag.
The depositions taken by Professor Morgan in France strongly corroborate
the evidence collected in this country.
The case numbered h 70 may be noted as very clearly stated. The Germans,
who had "put up a white flag on a lance and ceased fire," and thereby
induced a company to advance in order to take them prisoners, "dropped
the white flag and opened fire at a distance of 100 yards." This was
near Nesle, on Sept. 6, 1914. It seems clearly proved that in some
divisions at least of the German Army this practice is very common. The
incidents as reported cannot be explained by unauthorized surrenders of
small groups.
There is, in our opinion, sufficient evidence that these offenses have
been frequent, deliberate, and in many cases committed by whole units
under orders.
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