BOMBARDMENT OF ANTWERP.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 150, 20 November 1914, Page 3

BOMBARDMENT OF ANTWERP.

BIG GUNS SPREAD RUIN. PANIC-STRICKEN REFUGEES. THE BRITISH NAVAL BRIGADE. NEWS BY MAIL The bombardment of Antwerp was preceded by feverish activity on the part 'of the Germans at Brussels, where they worked night and day to procure the heaviest material for the attack. Simultaneously with the bringing up of their big guns for the bombardment to positions south-east of Antwery, supported 'by requisite numbers of infantry, the Germans advanced in unexpected force along the line of the Scheldt, from Grcmbergen to Wetteren, with the object of opening up a way of approach from the west.

Concentrating on Assche and Alost, they had a field army available for this purpose of something like 30,000 men. After forcing the .passage of the Scheldt near Schoonaerdo they were able, by oncans of pontoon bridges, to throw across a very useful portion of this body, and ako to bring over some latteries of artillery. At first the Belgians put up a stiff fight. In fact, in the case of artillery, the resistant* wtts heroic. Although outranged by the enemy's 4in guns, they stuck to their batteries under a terrible hail of sbrapnel, and only retired when they were being shot down by rifle fire from houses occupied by the Germans in the village of Perlaere.

But they were fighting against tofl great odds. For one thing the infantry regiment which held the line against a devastating shrapnel fire had already been in the trenches for four days without any period of rest. Then men, reduced in numbers and worn out, were physically incapable of standing/ any further attacks by a large body. Consequently they were impelled to fall back, and the Germans advanced north towards Lokeren, on the dirsct road from Ghent to Antwerp through St. Nicholas

THB NAVAL BRIGADE. The experience of the British naval men who had to seek refuge in Holland are thus described: — "We left on Sunday, October 4, and were conveyed by transport to where we were taken direct to Antwerp. On our way we were told that the Germans were in possession of the city, but we found that this was not so. We got to Antwerp at 8 o'clock on Sunday morning, and went to a place I think we called Wilryck. The First Naval Brigade was already billeted there. BRITISH HARD PRESSED.

"About eleven o'clock in the forenoon word was received that the marines were hard pressed, and the First and Second Naval Brigades went forward with all possible speed to reinforce them. When we got to them, we found they had already been forced to retire before a terrific German speed of shrapnel, ■which had inflicted a large number of casualties, and that the Belgian troops had fled, or had been withdrawn, leaving both flanks of the marines exposed. We cot into action as soon as possible, but during the night the German Are was so heavy that it was found impossible to hold the line between the rivers Ilupel and the Nethe.

"We retired, therefore, on to the outer lines of the defences at Antwerp. The retirement was carried out in good order and without any molestation by the enemy's infantry. If they had attacked us, there is no doubt that they could have inflicted heavy losses, because we had neither field or machine guns, As a matter of fact, after our retirement it was discovered that we had machine guns with our supplies, but without our being aware of it.

"On Thursday, October 18, the position as regards the outer line of forts around Antwerp also became serious. The staff of the Naval Brigades thereupon held a council of war, and decided to arrange a point to which our forces were to retreat and there send for transport if necessary. "Meanwhile a few companies of the Brigades were ordered to go forward and reinforce the British line* between Forts 3 and 4 and Forts 4 an* 5. Another company was ordered to take possession of Fort 4. This forts was nearest to the German lines, and I was one who was seat there. This was about the middle of Thursday afternoon. BESIEGED EN" A . "That afternoon »;; i exposed to a tiTr,' • »--»>] and high explo>v . . .ne, besierfig Ocrn, .• -.coreusly •ad ropelU;.' „,, : . m attacks, which i , .. nry i„n i„ the •* tt "''' ' "ij nenry losses o» tlii* .incoming (-packed' Germans. "> attaoir ,' jng. the German artil•■yrtf ■•■ .nenced to shell us more n before. The Are ira» al.'i» .wewant and deafening •• its in''mty. We could hear t ■ mry .rilutg away with almos J ••.<it, and what made it evr th« shells appeared all sides of us, as .< ■ ;,,-r----man front. I '' many of our men •»,•••- ■ .■ Jort, but I saw an <,.-,•■ lying dead. "AboW. the morning the F*-, r i-imand took admo« «' i .ff.pite in the rain •f »i? to *•»■' * patrol to find out V.* _ nfitii:.- v .• f-.airs. ..M.r *"'p came reported thut we •■■ ■•'.- isolated, both the Belgian 1i ■•' . r'r'i forces having retired from " ,<rr originally taken up between forts.

'ln the circumstances onr commander ordered an immediate retreat. I need hardly say that we were glad to quit the place. In trying to effect our escape under a renewed fire, half our fellows were lost. I don't know how many were killed, but some of them lost their lives falling in getting out of the fort.

GERMAN TREACHERY REVEALED. "I should say that before wo left, we made one or two extraordinary discoveries which seemed to indicate that some spy had been in the fort and arranged a plot to make its capture easy by the Germans. We found that one of the ' searchlights had been fixed so as to throw its light upon the fort and away from th» German lines, towards which we could not be turned. There was also a telephone wire from immediately outside the fort towards the German lines. Possibly it was the discovery of this diabolical treachery which determined e Belgia»i to quit the place. Anyhow, • plot wai foiled by the British de.ence, and before we left, the Germans wera made to pay the price of their dis:i nourable tactics. There is no doubt . the Germans had spies within the Unes, for when the enemy's -or a time, a lamp was seen «ignal not very far from

, i.' UNDER HEAVY HRE. ''Onr m<ni—those who got away safely, ibout two hwidred of them—riiarched

back in good order to where the Scheldt runs beneath Antwerp city. Here we were joined by a number of Belgian regees in a terrible state of distress, and on seeking for some means to cross the river, we found that the bridges had partly been blown up and the boats removed. Some of the refugees said that a British naval detachment had left in a train several hours before.

\ Nothing daunted,our. men set to work to devise means of getting across the river, and, still under occasional fire, succeeded in doing so. Safely on the west side of the Scheldt, our officers went in search of a transport, and found there was still an engine and some old carriages. By this means we got to a place called Saint Nicholas, where they, the officers, tried to arrange for our transport by train to Ghent. Just before starting, however, it was reported that the Germans were already In Ghent, and had cut the line. With that inquiries were made, and we started to walk to the Dutch frontier, accompanied by a largo number of refugees, who were now nothing more than a panic-stricken rabble.

"Even this retirement was not carried ou without loss, for as we advanced we found parties of Germans across the roads between Lokcrcn and the Dutch frontier. Several of our sailors and a number of Belgians were captured by the Germans.

"Hearing that some British sailors were retreating, the Germans made desperate attempts to cut off our retreat, but by leaving the road and spreading out, we managed to cross the Dutch frontier, where we were met by the Dutch guards and gave up our arms. We were then given food and made prisoners of war.