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Testimony of: Pfc. Wiliam H. Mentch (Contd)

677 A Yes, sir, they were lined up and they were taking their pistols from them.

678 Q Were they lined up along a canal?

A They were lined up in front of the tower and back of them was a bridge which went over the canal.

679 Q Did you watch them being disarmed?

A Yes, sir, I saw the guards, our own men, were going through the men and searching them.

680 Q Which ones of your men were there?

A There was the interrogator, Sgt. Wells, had the men and was searching them.

681 Q Did he get any pistols from them?

A I really don't know whether he took any or not. I know that some of the other fellows held some pistols.

682 Q Did Wells seem to be having any difficulty with these prisoners in making the search?

A No, sir, he didn't. He hollered at them pretty loud. The Russian prisoners were right beside there and he hollered at them. He had them all lined up and was searching them.

683 Q How did the shooting start?

A Sir, that was after they took the prisoners back at the front gate. They were still standing there and there was two squads coming up one on each side of the moat, and a machine gun opened up and some of the bullets were hitting into the moat. Everybody hid for cover and I got under a bridge and the Russian prisoners went back to the barracks.

684 Q Where was the machine gun fire coming from?

A It was coming from the left. I don't know where it was whether it was in a house or not, but it was coming from the left.

685 Q Where were these German prisoners at that time?

A They had sent them back to the main gate under guard where the other prisoners were. They had some more back there.