Antwerp

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 49, 14 October 1914, Page 5

Antwerp

“TO THE DEATH.” OFFICERS DRAW THE LAST- n LOTS. [By Electric Telegraph—Copyright] t United Press Association. Loudon, October 12. Telegrams give details of the Antwerp disaster. Pour officers at Fort St. 7 Mario drew lots to decide who should remain and fight to the death. The lot fell on a married man with a family. Another officer voluntcer- * ed to' take his place, and the offer was reluctantly accepted. The three officers then farewelled their heroic comrade. THE GERMAN FORCES AT THE bombardment. (Received 9.30 a.m.) London, October 13. The Daily News Bordeaux correspondent says the Germans engaged at Antwerp probably did not exceed 60,000. CAPITULATED TO PRESERVE ITS ARCHITECTURAL ASSETS. London, October 13. Mr Donohoe, in a message to the Chronicle, says that while many of the military authorities in Antwerp favored the continuation of resistance, others pointei cvt the possibility of a severe be mba.d utut ami the destruction of ar:;h’-t;.nnr,;! beau- - ties. The municipality pleaded too cause of the menace to :he cvy, and questioned whether any good would come of prolonging the struggle. Their entreaties carried the day. A BRITISH MACHINE-GUN. London, October 12. During the fighting outside of Antwerp on Thursday a party of Britishers with a machine-gun began to play on a point where they knew Germans were massed, Twenty-six Britishers fell while serving the gun. Then the Germans appeared. The sergeant was the last man left. He sprang to the gun and shot down 120 of the enemy before he himself was killed. TWENTY-FOUR FORTS RESISTING ENERGETICALLY, * i Paris, Octobr 12. The Germans only occupy the suburbs of Antwerp. Twenty-four forts on the Scheldt still resist energetically. NOT A SURPRISE TO GENERAL JOFFRE’S STAFF. London, October 13. The fall of Antwerp did not surprise General Joffre’s staff. It was not expected the city would withstand the heavy guns for more than week. GERMAN ASSISTANCE FROM GERMAN INHABITANTS. United Press Association. (Received 9*45 a.m.) Ostend, October 18. Officials from Antwerp state that platforms of concrete on which big guns were mounted were prepared for Germans at three of the suburbs of Antwerp, where German residents had villas and large gardens. Another big gun position was prepared at a German papeV mill.

THE LAST ACTS. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, October 12. Belgians who have arrived in England state that before leaving Antwerp they were careful to smash every bottle of intoxicants, because tho Germans drink and then commit excesses. A correspondent at Rotterdam declares that the last ten nights at Antwerp ■ were the most terrible of the war. The siege of Liege was nothing by comparison. After entering the city, the Germans immediately attempted to bridge the Scheldt, expecting quickly to overtake the retiring troops. SOME FORTS HELD OUT TILL SUNDAY. United Press Association. (Received 10.25 a.m.) s> Ostend, October 13. Some of the Antwerp forts held out till Sunday. Two German columns were repulsed in the fpres district, and driven back several miles with considerable loss. THE BELGIAN ARMY. REMOVAL FROM ANTWERP WITH ALL CANNON. (Received 10.25 a.m.) London, October 13. The Times Paris correspondent reports that the Belgian field army, totally intact, has been removed from Antwerp with all their cannon. HOLLAND INTERNED TROOPS RE-JOIN THE MAIN ARMY. (Received 9.45 a.m.) The Hague, October 12. Of the 2200 Belgians and British troops from Antwerp who were interned in Holland, 1800 succeeded in joining the main Belgian army. AN ANTWERP FORT COMMANDED BY THE GOVERNOR. THE RUSE OF A MOTORIST. (Received 11.55 a.m. ) Paris, October 13. Reports state that some forts along the lino of the Scheldt are still resisting, General Guise, the Governor, commands one. Five motor lorries of the British ordananco corps were recently cut off, but the men escaped. After destroying the ammunition in one it wa/ hid in a wood. The Germans, finding the others contained no ammunition, departed, and the soldier got his motor going and towed the other four into camp.