The German Army in Belgium, the White Book of May 1915Germany. Auswärtiges Amt
History
The German Army in Belgium, the White Book of May 1915
Germany. Auswärtiges Amt
World War, 1914-1918 -- Atrocities; World War, 1914-1918 -- Belgium
Despite this, my company was again alarmed towards 11 o'clock at night
because a dismounted squadron of hussars on the quay had been fired
on from a single house. Once more I moved with my company through
burning Leffe in order to find the culprits. On the way I met Division
Commander Edler von der Planitz, who once again impressed upon me the
duty of proceeding against the fanatical francs-tireurs without any
compunction whatever, and by the most energetic methods. I had the
house, pointed out to me by the hussars, surrounded and searched, but
found nobody there. After I had set fire to the house, I returned with
my company to the place where the regiment was assembled.
Signed: WILKE, Captain and Company Leader,
6th Company, Infantry Regiment
No. 178.
Quarters of Infantry Regiment No. 178,
_March 3rd, 1915_.
Present:
President of the Court, SCHWEINITZ.
Secretary, LIPS.
At the inquiry concerning the events in Dinant, the witness named below
appeared and stated:
As to Person: My name is Manfred Horst Wilke. I am 30 years old;
Protestant; Captain and Company Leader, Infantry Regiment No. 178.
As to Case: On the reading of his report:
This report is in full conformity with the truth. In addition to those
statements which, as may be recognised from the report, are based
on the statements of others, I mention that I pointed out to the
individuals whom I questioned to tell me the whole truth, so that their
statements could also be maintained on oath.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: WILKE.
The witness was thereupon sworn.
Signed: SCHWEINITZ. Signed: LIPS.
C. App. 27.
Sender: 7th Company, Infantry Regiment No. 178.
Date: _February 15th, 1915_.
Time: _11 a.m._
To the 2nd Battalion.
On August 23rd, 1914, towards 9.45 a.m., the 7th Company--placed at the
disposal of the 3rd Battalion, which was fighting in Leffe--marched
into this place. While I rode on to report the arrival of my company to
the Commander of the 3rd Battalion, 178th Regiment, the company halted
on the lower road leading to the Meuse, under cover from the opposite
heights of the Meuse, which were occupied by the enemy.
During this brief halt the company was assailed by a murderous
rifle-fire which came from a house with closed windows and bolted door.
One man (Private Uhlemann) was badly wounded in the right instep,
another (Private Neumann) was slightly wounded by three shots in the
arm and hand; all the wounds came from small shot; the firing could
only have been done by civilians.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account