Battle of Liege

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 69, 11 August 1914, Page 5

Battle of Liege

A TERRIFYING SPECTACLE. FIGHTING BY NIGHT. IN THE BLINDING GLARE OF SEARCHLIGHTS. BIG GERMAN MOVEMENT IN PROCiiESS. TO ANTICIPATE ARRIVAL OF THE j FRENCH. ; \ Received 10, 8.30 p.m. j Brussels, August 8(4 p.m.) j. Three German army corps at Liege f, remain in position. An important movement of German > troops towards Huy is in progress, suggesting that the Germans intend to concentrate five army corps, Which will attack the main Belgian army before the ; French arrive. i The Germans will seek to cross the j Meuse by passing round the forts to- i wards Vise, and between Liege and Huy. The German cavalry is already between Liege and Mamur. The Belgian army is ready, and the French are in touch. The Germans have detached the third army corps, known as the Iron Crops, from the advance towards the Murthe to attack Liege. The six forts attacked on Thursday were Barchon. Evegnes, Fleron, Chandfontaine, Bmbourg and Boncelles, all I east of the Meuse. ] I The principal attack was on the spaces ! between the forts, thirteen thousand men being hurled at one space, which was protected by trenches and barbed wire. It was a terrifying spectacle, creeping masses of men advancing under the blinding glare of the searchlights, those in front carrying nippers. The cupolas, meanwhile, were belch-. ing forth shots, and the machine guns on the parapets were firing incessantly. The Germans got through between Fleron and Evegnes, and shelled the city, hut all the forts remained intact. Brussels, August 8. At ten o'clock on Saturday night the general situation had further improved. The French army was advancing steadfy- J GERMANS HOLD HOSTAGES. INHUMAN PRACTISES. Received 10, 10.15 p.m. Amsterdam, August 9 (midnight). The Germans hold the Governor of the province of Liege and the Bishop of Liege as hostages, and threaten to kill them if the forts continue their fire. Refugees state that the inhabitants of Liege were firing on the Germans from the windows. All caught were instantly shot. Railwaymen and twenty-five others arrested at Berneau, accused of firing at the Germans, were driven at the bayonet point into ri■ e firing line before the forts. Three comrades were killed, hut the rest fell and pretended to he dca-l, and escaped at nightfall. IRRESISTIBLE BELGIANS. GERMAN ARMY CORPS BROKEN. REPORT FROM A RELIABLE SOURCE. London, August 8 (morning). Dr. Dillon, in the Daily Telegraph, says that during the night the entire seventh army corps made a tremendous assault, but the Belgians manfully held their positions. The whole country around was illuminated with searchlights and quaked like an earthquake. Daylight revealed hundreds of German corpses strewn in the fields. As the Germans advanced on Fort Bachon the Belgians' mixed brigade effected a daring counter attack from the heights of Wandre. Their advance was as irresistible as the tide. The Germans stood 1 a few minutes awaiting the onset and then fled in a panic. The seventh army corps was broken and a few hours later 50(H) fugitives passed .Maastricht (Holland), where they fed, and curiously enough proceeded to Aix-la-Chapelle. If this is correct it raises an international problem of some moment.

KAISER BLUFFING. REPORTS THE FALL OF LIEGE. ] TO HEARTEN lIIS SUBJECTS. Amsterdam, August I!. A remarkable Berlin message has been received reading: "The news of the fall of Liege spread with lightning rapidity and created boundless enthiisi asm. The Emperor sent an aide-de camp to the crowd before the castle to deliver the news. The police bicycled along the Unter-den-Linden with the joyful tiding. Herr von BethmauuHollweg drove to the castle, to congratulate the Emperor." The message continues. "Though it is known that Liege has circulated in foreign countries news about a German defeat at Liege, these reports are expected to disappear before the facts." The Lokal Anzeiger states: "All hearts are trembling under the iirst feat of arms of our valiant army." THE BAFFLED EAGLE INDULGES IN THREATS. THE HERO OF LIEGE. GERMANS LACK "DEVIL." Brussels, August 9. A Gazette says that Germany has sent an urgent telegram threatening v!?i!roils reprisals in the future, j Refugees from Namur have arrived ;it. the Hare du Nord (Paris railway station).

A report states that the Germans are sts* rvinjf, no arrangements having teen made for feeding them, and the Emperor having .announced that they would march through a smiling country side. Many Germans surrendered for bread. This is* said to l>c t)he seen t of the rcciuest fur an armistice. Soldiers state thai some of the trenches a! Liege are piled four or five feet high with Gemini' Indies. An official source s(::i"' Hint Liege is invested, but the Belgian -till hold the forts. The bombardment is very

intermittent, as the German gunners are running short of shells. People report that among wounded prisoners at Liege is a nephew of lh? Kaiser, commanding the German e,aval nv. Other reports state that the German casualties in Alsace are thirty thousand.

Spain is caring for the Belgians in Germany. Thirty-four German vessels were seized at Antwerp on Frida,,. There is much confidence at Antwerp, where the forts are considered impregnable. An official report states that the ' Germans at Mulhausen showed the Game want of dash as at liege. Wlen

the officers were killed the men were a helpless rabble and fled like sheep. It is denied that civilians fired on Germans, who spread rumors to justify reprisals. Brussels, August 9. French troops crossing the frontier were welcomed with extraordinary enthusiasm. The Belgian soldiers and non-commissioned officers embraced and kissed each other. The Belgians sang the Marseillaise. The French cavalry captured a patrol at Noineny, on the frontier, fourteen miles north-east of Nancy. Seven Germans were killed. The French cavalry occupied Stichmoyenvic. M. Poineare, in a message to the King of the Belgians, eulogises the gallant defence of Liege. Berlin, August 9. Civilians around Liege fired on German doctors and troopn, and similarly against patrols opposite Metz. If franc tireurg made war on troops Germany will punish them inexorably. Paris, August 9. M. Leiman, who fortified Liege, is the professor of mathematics m the Belgian Military Academy. He is sixty-two years of age, and of untiring energy. This is his first work as a practical soldier.

Officers wounded at Liege state that the Belgian artillery was, remarkably effective and caused indescribable panic. They observed indecision among the German artillerists before taking positions., Whenever a projectile burst among them tliey retired. Though the Belgians displayed heroic courage they were too fatigued to withstand tlhe impetuous onset of the overpowerm- German numbers. Many Belgian reservists 'had been working in trenches two and a-half days, and they sustained serious losses.

» T London, August 0. The Belgian Legation states tlhat a cavalry division' rapidly advanced to the west, and the .Germans across the Mouse were hemmed in between the forts and the cavalry, HAS LIEGE FALLEN? GERMAN OCCUPATION CLAIMED. London, August 10. An Amsterdam cable, dated 10,30 on the night of the eighth, states that the following _ official message was received from Berlin:- <r We hold Liege fast in our hands. The losses of the enemy were ■considerable."