The German Army in Belgium, the White Book of May 1915 — John Shaqi
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
Captain Wagner states: On 22nd August, at Léglise, two civilians from
Antier were handed over to the company, which was acting as escort to
the heavy baggage. These had been caught with guns in their hands by
two gendarmes. At this period the company was fired at by civilians on
several occasions.
At Tintigny was discovered the body of a reservist of Infantry Regiment
No. 38, who had been slain by the inhabitants with a mason's pickaxe.
At Laheycourt a man of the 1st Battalion shot dead a civilian who had
fired at the soldiers from a garden.
Captain von Debschitz states: At Nothomb, our first quarters in
Belgium, after the General in command had issued a proclamation, the
inhabitants immediately handed in a very large quantity of military
rifles and ammunition, which not long before had undoubtedly been
distributed by the authorities for the purpose of a "franc-tireur"
campaign. These were, as far as I knew, Menier rifles, recently oiled,
with cartridges in cotton packing, labelled exactly as if they had just
been received from a depot.
Lieutenant of Reserve Schmidt, Leader of the heavy baggage of the
regiment, states: On the night of August 23rd-24th, while we were on
our way from Habay to Neuve-Ansart, the heavy baggage was several times
fired upon at Houdemont and Rulles. At Houdemont, inhabitants fired
from windows and from behind walls; upon this, some houses were set on
fire. In rear of Houdemont the heavy baggage passed through a defile.
Here we noticed small lamp signals, and then suddenly a heavy fire
was opened on the baggage from front, rear, and both flanks. Several
bullets struck the woodwork of the waggons and the oat-sacks, one of
which is still in our possession. One man was missing; two horses were
wounded and had to be killed. In the same way at Rulles and in the rear
of this village, the baggage was fired at from the front and on the
right flank.
On August 24th the heavy baggage on the road from Ansart-Tintigny was
again fired at from houses by francs-tireurs. In this way two convoy
soldiers were shot dead. On the evening of the 25th August the baggage
passed through the village of Villers devant Orval. Our men were there
received in friendly fashion by the inhabitants, who distributed fruit
and eatables among the soldiers. When darkness fell, and the baggage
came to a long halt outside the village, shots were suddenly fired at
them from the rear.
Signed: COUNT KELLER.
App. 19.
STATEMENT of Captain and Battery Commander Walter, 3rd Battalion of
Foot Artillery Regiment von Dieskau (Silesian) No. 6.
CONDÉ LES AUTRY, _September 25th, 1914_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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