Captured soldier was eaten

Soldier Pekka Davydov, a volunteer from Veshkelitsa Village, Olonets Karelia, was the victim of such horror at the Olonets front, at night between 3rd and 4th days of this month in Polovina Village. The task was make an reconnaissance raid from Matrosy Village to Polovina Village, to the forefront of bloody Reds. Two people only volunteered for raid, namely one platoon commander and already mentioned Davydov. Raid had been successful at first, but on the back trip Davydov had gotten bullet in his leg and could no longer continue his way. Platoon leader saved, but Davydov was captured by bloody Reds. After that, nothing was known about him. When at 13th day of this month Polovina Village was cleared from bloody Reds, villagers were asked about a volunteer soldier who captives by bloody Reds. They said that they had seen how bloody Reds had once brought to Village a wounded soldier, who later was dragged away to the swamp badly mutilated. Went to the designated place and found aforementioned Davydov covered with soil there. The finders were then faced with a horrible sight. Poor man had flesh cut off from both legs to the bone, from the feet to the base of the legs; in the same way, the flesh of the buttocks was cut off. His chest was opened from the neck to the abdomen and the liver was taken out. His hands previously tied tightly because there were still deep traces of string on both wrists founded. His chest at the lungs was pierced with a bayonet. The terrible torment the poor man had suffered is also shown by the fact that he took a bite both his lips in pain.

Bloody Reds left him alive, hacking the body of poor man piece by piece, and then they ate the flesh. Irrefutable evidence was obtained by after the conquest of Polovina Village. In this battle commander of Bloody Reds a certain Sevelius, was captured. A letter was found in his pocket, in which his friend told about the of a butcher’s^* meat that he had eaten, but he forbade Sevelius to tell anyone about it.

The atrocities of bloody Reds have been already experienced at the front-line and many horrific deeds have been seen, but the true story described above still surpasses them in its brutality and cruelty.

Davydov's body was photographed by a Danish journalist^** and a commander of the second machine-gun company of the Olonets Expedition Tuompo. We hope that these photos will once come in public to help witness the atrocities of the Bolsheviks.

Karjala -newspaper no. 140
June 21, 1919