Part 6
On August 22nd I, with my platoon of the Telephone Section, X. Army Corps, was marching from Tongrinne to the Château of Quiltremont _via_ Tamines. Towards 5 p.m. I found myself with my platoon on the street of Vignées at Tamines at the spot where, on the right side of our line of march, a long stretch of the street is skirted by a manufactory. At this point my platoon, which was marching alone, was suddenly assailed by a hot, but badly aimed, fire from the church and from a large building lying off the road to the left, and easily recognised by its Red Cross flags. I at once ordered my platoon to take up a position under cover, and then dispatched flanking patrols on the right and left against the buildings indicated above. In the vicinity of my men we ascertained for certain that a considerable number of armed civilians had retired in hasty flight into a wood behind the buildings, so that it was impossible for us to open an effective fire on those persons. My official duties prevented me from undertaking the pursuit; nevertheless, I had a brief account of these incidents written with chalk on the big gates of a factory in this place to serve as a warning to any detachments of German troops who might follow us.
Signed: DEULE, Lieutenant.
App. 42.
STATEMENT of Acting-Sergeant-Major and Officer-Substitute Mackemehl, 4th Battery, Field Artillery Regiment No. 4.
On the afternoon of August 26th we halted with the "heavy baggage" (we had also with us the baggage of Infantry Regiments Nos. 177 and 178 and of Field Artillery Regiment No. 28) at Convin, north of Nocroi. The infantry baggage behind us was fired upon from a house on the right of our line of march. On searching the house, we found that the only inmates were three civilians, who were in possession of weapons and cartridges.
Signed: MACKEMEHL.
App. 43.
STATEMENT of Lieutenant Huck, commanding Horse Depot No. 2, X. Army Corps (2nd Train Detachment No. 10, X. Army Corps).
On August 24th, 1914, at 8.30 p.m. I entered Acoz with my Horse Depot No. 2. I then with the unmounted men and non-commissioned officers endeavoured to secure stabling for the horses. I came across only a very few people; these were extremely friendly, and offered me milk without payment and water for washing. The only exception was the village priest. The large size of his house and courtyard rendered them in my opinion very suitable as quarters for men and horses. He received me very curtly, showed me the Red Cross brassard on his arm--this had no official stamp--and declared that he had no room for me. His behaviour and manner displeased me, and at once rendered me suspicious. Most of the houses appeared to be abandoned, and were shut up: so I saw it was necessary to break down the doors and find suitable accommodation. When I had brought most of my horses under shelter, and only a few were still standing in the street, a heavy fire was suddenly opened upon us from the windows and houses. I saw the flashes of the rifles coming from the upper windows of almost every house in the street in which I myself was standing. My sergeant-major and I heard quite clearly the whistling of bullets round our heads. I ordered my troops to reply to the fire, which on the side of the assailants died out after about three-quarters of an hour. I directed the especial attention of some of my men to the priest's house. They accordingly forced their way in and found the priest and, further, two other men hidden in the loft. According to the soldiers' statements, these persons had also weapons in their possession. They were handcuffed and handed over to the munitions column, whose men had joined in the fighting and advanced against the house. I was told that the priest and the two other men were shot next day. On more careful search cartridges, both discharged and loaded, were found on their persons.
Signed: HUCK, Lieutenant and Commander, Horse Depot 2, X. Army Corps.
App. 44.
STATEMENT of Captain Lüdke, commanding 2nd Train Detachment, X. Army Corps.
On August 24th, 1914, the 2nd Echelon of Trains had assigned to it for quarters the villages of Acoz and Joncret. The staff of the 2nd Train Section, X. Army Corps, and Horse Depot No. 2, occupied quarters in Acoz. On our arrival at Acoz at 8.30 p.m. there was scarcely a villager to be seen in the street. The doors and windows of the houses were shut. After the horses had been brought into a barn opposite the church, the three staff officers took up their quarters in the empty and open house of the doctor, which was also opposite the church, but on the other side of the square. The men of the Horse Depot were still engaged in bringing their horses into the side street. When we officers had been in the house about half an hour, a hot fire was, as if by word of command, opened upon the doctor's house in which we were quartered and on the Horse Depot. The shots came from all the windows of the houses which lay opposite, and from those of the side street, in which a part of the Horse Depot had already taken up their quarters, though some were yet in the street. At this moment an artillery munitions column marched through Acoz past the square near the church. These troops were in the same way assailed by the fire of the inhabitants. In conjunction with the men of the Horse Depot and this munitions column we advanced against the houses from which shots were still being fired. At last the firing ceased. All the front doors were shut, and had to be burst open; all the back doors which led into gardens or the open fields stood open. When the houses were searched there were found in the priest's house the priest himself and two men, whom he had hidden in the loft, with cartridges in their possession. The priest and these two men were taken off by the munitions column, which continued its march. The houses from which shots had come were set on fire. The staff of the 2nd Train Section and Horse Depot No. 2 occupied quarters in Serpinnes. Next day I dispatched Non-commissioned Officer Trapp and Corporal Bölhof from the staff of the 2nd Train Section to Joncret with orders. At Acoz, which they passed on the way, they were informed by several non-commissioned officers and men of the artillery munitions column and by an artillery non-commissioned officer, that in the town hall, which lies near the doctor's house, several cases of dynamite had been discovered and some hundreds of guns and cartridges in packets. Each packet bore a label with the name of the townsman to whom they were assigned. The artillery munitions column took possession of these objects.
Signed: LÜDKE, Major and Commander, 2nd Train Section, X. Army Corps.
App. 45.
MILITARY COURT EXAMINATION of 1st Lieutenant Müller, Lieutenant Schröder, and Gunner Huismann, all of the 5th Artillery Munitions Column, X. Army Corps.
Present: Lieutenant MAACK, Officer of the Court. Non-commissioned Officer, SCHÜTTE, Secretary.
AVAUX, _November 20th, 1914_.
With respect to the incidents which occurred during the surprise attack at Acoz, the under-mentioned witnesses, after the importance and sanctity of the oath had been pointed out, were examined as follows:
1. 1st Lieutenant Müller.
As to Person: My name is Richard Müller. I am 36 years of age; Protestant; brewery director in Hanover; 1st Lieutenant and Leader of the 5th Artillery Munitions Column, X. Army Corps.
As to Case: Towards 10 p.m. on August 24th, 1914, I was marching with my column through the village of Acoz. I allowed my men to dismount here, because in front of me the 3rd Foot Artillery Munitions Column, X. Army Corps, were watering their horses. At the moment when I gave my men the order to mount again, the column was assailed by a vigorous fire from the houses of the village. In my opinion some 30 to 40 shots were fired at once. They were firing from shot-guns, for I could hear from the sound of these shots that they were using small shot. As a number of horses fell headlong, and various men were also wounded, I endeavoured for the moment to get the column again on the march. Meanwhile, with a detachment of about twenty men, who had come to help from the neighbourhood of the wireless station, I had the village searched.
During the search of the village three persons were seized who had been found in the priest's house, two of them indeed hidden in the loft. In examining these persons I found on one of them called Boucher, or some name like this, four discharged cartridges. According to the reports of the soldiers, the priest, who was found amongst the captured men, strenuously denied that any people were with him in the house; he had also by gestures offered the search-party money and drink to keep them back from searching his house. He had also for the moment refused them entrance into his house by pointing to a red cross which he carried on his arm. None of these three persons denied their participation in the attack. Some hours later there was found on the priest an invoice for the receipt of an English revolver. These men were subsequently shot.
It is altogether out of the question that the surprise attack could have been brought about by uniformed troops. The Belgian-French army had already retired a long way, and the village of Acoz had already been for several days in German occupation.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: MÜLLER.
The witness was sworn.
2. Lieutenant Schröder.
As to Person: My name is Georg Schröder. I am 34 years old; Protestant; Lieutenant of Reserve, 5th Artillery Munitions Column, X. Army Corps; farmer in Nordermon, Administrative District of Elsfleth.
As to Case: On August 24th I followed with the supplementary platoon of the 5th Artillery Munitions Column about an hour's distance on the road to Serpinnes. The moment I arrived before the village of Acoz my platoon was fired upon from the houses and from the high ground. At Acoz, which meanwhile had been set on fire, I got into contact with the column. I learnt that they had been fired at, and that the village had been set on fire after the perpetrators of the attack were found to be civilians. Three persons were arrested--the parish priest and two others called Bastin and Boucher. Since the leader of the column, 1st Lieutenant Müller, had been wounded through a fall, I did not know whether he had examined these persons, and so examined them myself for our better security. The three prisoners gave only unintelligible replies to my questions. I accordingly examined the soldiers who had taken part in the affair. I ascertained that Bastin and Boucher had been found hidden in the loft, where weapons and discharged cartridges had also been discovered. As regards the priest, it was reported to me that he had offered wine and money to the soldiers as they were forcing their way in, to deter them from searching his house. On the following morning there was found on the priest a receipt with reference to a revolver and 50 cartridges which had been assigned to a _garde champêtre_, or, through his agency, to someone else. I had ordered a soldier to search all three men, and personally discovered the paper in question in the purse which was taken from the priest.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: GEORG SCHRÖDER.
The witness was sworn.
Concluded.
Signed: MAACK, Lieutenant. Signed: SCHÜTTE, Non-commissioned Officer.
App. 46.
MILITARY COURT EXAMINATION of Captain von Guaita, Uhlan Westphal, and Sergeant Hammermeister, all of Reserve Uhlan Regiment No. 2.
BAZANCOURT, _November 22nd, 1914_.
Court of the 2nd Guard Reserve Division.
Present: President of the Court, Dr. BERNHOLD. Secretary, GUNTOWSKY.
There appeared before the Court the under-mentioned witnesses, who, after the importance and sanctity of the oath had been pointed out to them, made the following statement:
1. Captain von Guaita, Reserve Uhlan Regiment No. 2.
As to Person: My name is Leon. I am 36 years old; Protestant.
As to Case: On August 22nd, 1914, I rode in company with Lieutenant Feierabend, Dragoon Regiment No. 1, at the head of a troop of cavalry consisting of some twenty-five Uhlans. Our orders were to reconnoitre the bridge at Monceau sur Sambre. In the middle of the town of Monceau sur Sambre, while we were both halted in the Rue Neuve, we were suddenly assailed by a hot fire. Shots were fired at us from all the windows of the houses and from cellar gratings. As our men were falling around me I rode forward and reached a side street. One man had been killed, four wounded, and six horses were dead; Lieutenant Feierabend received a shot through the leg. I was unwounded, but my map, which I held in my left hand, was pierced by two pellets. This is a convincing proof of the fact that a sporting-gun was used to fire at me. I am convinced that fire was opened upon us at a prearranged signal.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: VON GUAITA.
The witness was sworn.
2. Sergeant Hammermeister, Reserve Uhlan Regiment No. 2.
As to Person: My name is Hermann. I am 23 years old; Protestant.
As to Case: On August 22nd of this year I was one of the patrol led by 1st Lieutenant von Guaita. Our orders were to reconnoitre the bridge over the Sambre. When we were in the middle of a street in Monceau sur Sambre we were fired at on our front. My impression was that two volleys were fired from the quarter in front of us. This was clearly the signal for the fire now directed upon us from the houses. Shots came from doors, windows, and cellar openings. I saw a civilian standing in a doorway and firing at us with a revolver. I saw no soldiers.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: HAMMERMEISTER.
The witness was sworn.
3. Uhlan Westphal, Reserve Uhlan Regiment No. 2.
As to Person: My name is Wilhelm Westphal. I am 26 years old; Protestant.
As to Case: When the Reserve Uhlan Regiment No. 2 passed through Monceau sur Sambre I was acting as cyclist in front of it. In the main street I immediately came under fire from a house at the moment when I wanted to ride back in order to report to the regiment that the patrol under 1st Lieutenant von Guaita had been assailed by a hot fire. With some men of the Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 15 I forced a way into the house from which the shots had come, and there saw on the stairs a civilian with a gun in his hand. We at once shot this man.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: WILH. WESTPHAL.
The witness was sworn.
The above is a true account of the proceedings.
Signed: Dr. BERNHOLD. Signed: GUNTOWSKY.
App. 47.
MILITARY COURT EXAMINATION of Captain Caspari, Infantry Regiment No. 75.
Present: President of the Court, Lieutenant STÜRENBERG-JUNG. Secretary, Acting-Sergeant-Major BANNEHR.
There appeared as witness Captain Caspari, who was examined as follows:
When the head of the 3rd Company, Infantry Regiment No. 75, to which I belonged, approached Hougaerde, it was met by a person from the small town in priest's clothing. He greeted me and declared that there were no more Belgian troops in the place, and that the feelings of the inhabitants were quite friendly towards us; further, that we had no reason to fear any surprise attack from them. My request that he should act as our guide through Hougaerde was obviously distasteful to this person; nevertheless, he undertook to lead us.
During our march into the village the street was quite empty, the window-shutters and doors closed, and the window-apertures of a new house on the right were covered with sacking. Just before we reached a bend in the street, some 100 to 200 metres behind the railway crossing, the priest sprang into a doorway. A man at the head of the company, Musketeer Ernst Block, just managed to seize him by his coat-tails and dragged him back. At the bend we saw ourselves confronted by a street barricade at a distance of some 30 to 40 metres, and were at once met by simultaneous volleys of fire from the houses on all sides, and even from the rear. The priest was one of the first who was mortally wounded by shots from the houses. As I subsequently ascertained, the village had been systematically arranged for defence. Houses and walls were furnished with concealed and barely visible loopholes, prepared beforehand by the population for a surprise attack by fire at a fixed spot. That civilians took part in this fighting I can personally guarantee, for I saw such persons escaping through the gardens with weapons in their hands. Moreover, several men were wounded by small shot.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: CASPARI.
The witness was sworn.
Signed: STÜRENBERG-JUNG. Signed: BANNEHR, Lieutenant and President of the Court, Secretary.
App. 48.
REPORT of Captain Strauss, Grenadier Regiment No. 12 (3rd Infantry Division).
CONDÉ, _September 25th, 1914_.
On August 18th, after the retirement of the enemy, I rode through the village of Capellen with my company and heard shots being fired at my riflemen from a house behind me--from the house itself and from the garden. While the garden was being searched, the firing was renewed, and was replied to by my men. A woman, whose dead body was subsequently found in the garden, was a victim of this firing. The firing from the house continued, though from what part I could not determine. We found two men and some nine women and children, all unarmed. There were no soldiers in the house. I had the house set on fire, and, during the conflagration, cartridges exploded four or five times in the burning house.
After the decision of the regiment had been secured next morning the inhabitants in question were set at liberty, because they had not been found with weapons in their hands, nor had any such persons been discovered in searching the house.
The firing from the house and garden undoubtedly occurred.
Signed: STRAUSS, Captain and Company Leader.
App. 49.
MILITARY COURT EXAMINATION of Musketeer Peter Behle, Infantry Regiment No. 16, Non-commissioned Officer Otto Biernirth, Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 213, War Volunteer Willi Kandt, Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 201, War Volunteer Fritz Blum, Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 233, and War Volunteer Franz Breidbach, Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 235.
LENNEP, _November 17th, 1914_.
Königliches Amtsgericht.
Present: Amtsgerichtsrat LANDSBERG, Judge. Referendar WELTMAN, Secretary.
At the Red Cross hospital at Lennep the under-mentioned witnesses were met, who, after the importance of the oath had been pointed out to them, were examined as follows:
1. Peter Behle, 20 years of age, Catholic, foreman builder from Lennep, musketeer of the 6th Company, Infantry Regiment No. 16, after taking the oath, made the following statement:
In the middle of August, in a Belgian village called, I think, Tirlemont, a controlled fire was opened upon us in the dark by the civil population. No Belgian troops had been there for a long time. Shots were fired from, amongst other places, a fruit garden. My comrade, Franz Gockel from Wiesdorf, was fatally shot through the back of his head. The order was then given to collect the weapons in the houses, to secure the men, and bring the women and children into the church. In doing this we discovered unfinished revolvers, the wooden handles of which were still lacking. The houses, from which shots had come, were set on fire.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: PETER BEHLE.
2. Otto Biernirth, 34 years of age, Protestant, certificated business instructor of Bremenhaven, non-commissioned officer, Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 213, after taking the oath, made the following statement:
On October 20th we were in front of the village of Staden (Flanders). The whole night through we were fighting exclusively with francs-tireurs, who fired from the houses. In the morning we had to capture the town. However, some 400 to 500 metres from the town, a flanking fire came from a single house on the left, whereby our comrade Fröse was struck by a ricochet bullet. From this house, which was seized, four francs-tireurs emerged.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: OTTO BIERNIRTH.
3. Willi Kandt, 31 years of age, Evangelical, merchant from Berlin, war volunteer, 2nd Company Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 201, after taking the oath, made the following statement:
On the march to Lessen we came under fire from two farms lying opposite. A reconnoitring company ascertained that the shots came from a barn. This was set on fire, and one could hear the continuous explosion of the cartridges stored up in the barn.
On Tuesday, October 20th, 1914, we caught a civilian, who was shot because he had cartridges in his pocket.
Towards the evening of this day the first four companies of Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 201 were to go forward on outpost duty, followed by the remaining companies. When the last companies had passed through the town of Lessen and the baggage had already arrived on the scene, it was fired upon on all sides from the houses and the church tower. Four of our men were wounded. When our artillery received the order to bombard the church tower, the church was set on fire, and in this way, probably, a non-commissioned officer and eight men who had been sent to search the tower were burnt to death. The enemy troops had already left the place; the only persons still there were civilians.
On the following day we were fired at from a farm, but could find nobody in the house. After the house had been burnt down, we found inside the body of a franc-tireur.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: WILLI KANDT.
Continued in the Königliches Amtsgericht at Lennep on November 20th, 1914.
4. Fritz Blum, 17 years of age, Evangelical, a compositor from Meiningen, war volunteer, 4th Company, Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 233, after taking the oath, made the following declaration:
On October 18th we occupied quarters at Westroosebeek (between Thielt and Roulers). We there ascertained that both the millers had set the wings of their windmills in a particular direction, and so furnished a signal which betrayed our entry. Both the millers were seized, but in the course of a subsequent fight we lost sight of them.
On October 19th we took Roulers by storm. When we marched in we came under a hot fire from the houses. In searching the houses I found on the roof of a house a civilian who had fired with a shot-gun. He was just trying to escape through the skylight. So, as he paid no attention to my call, I shot him. He wore wooden shoes, and was otherwise dressed altogether as a townsman, and differed in no respects from a civilian. On the stairs we found bullets; they were partly of French origin,
## partly "dum-dum" leaden bullets, apparently made at home. The gun that
was found was an old sporting-gun.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: FRITZ BLUHM.
5. Franz Breidbach, 19 years of age, Catholic, Abiturient from Luttinghausen, war volunteer, 6th Company, Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 235, after taking the oath, made the following statement: