The Battle of Haelen.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 99, 17 August 1914, Page 5

The Battle of Haelen.

GERMAN OFFICER'S GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF THE FICHT.

"WE MADE A MISTAKE."

(Received 8.15 a.m.) Brussels, August 15. A German officer who was taken prisoner at Haelen, in writing to his wife, said tho march to Haelen was difficult, the enemy having destroyed tho bridges. Haelen was covered with dead and wounded, and the scenes were terrible. The enemy took the village, although Haelen was oc-

cupied by our troops, and. we had

Ji'ard work to escape the enemy's fSjfcfihrapnol, which was terrible, and the carnage was frightful. Our retreat was hindered hy a great number of wandering horses and by fugitives from the 2nd Cuirassiers. We made a mistake in attacking such a strong position, across ground which was full of hedges and ditches with barbed wire entanglements. We advanced as for Imperial inspection, not as if at war. This cost us great loss, and will cost enormous losses in the future. I hear we lost twelve cannon and that all the horses were killed