Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-10-20
FALL Of NAMUR
DESCRIBED IN
BELGIAN PAPER
City Played Its Part and De-
tenders Did Their Duty,
Says Correspondent
tBy Latest Mail

tBy Latest Mall
| PARIS. France. Undergraduates
Beige publishes, the Following extracts
from 4 letter written to the Flandre
Liberale on the subject of the article
| in. the Times relative to the fall Of
Namur, remarking at the same time
that the present is not the moment
either to emphasize or discuss the
same:
"To begin with, the Michele in ques-
| ton (tile military governor of the
place1 Is not the late minister Of war,
but another Michel He is one Of the
most brilliant officers that the artil-
lery had produced.
aNamur held out four days and q
half. The Germans first attacked the
northern section, comprising the forts
or Maizerait. Marchevelette and. Cog
melee. They were using shells OF 81
and % centimeters. The effect OF the
latter was terrible, and from the Sec
ond day the guns In the forts were put
out OF action. The rourth day all the
forts were attacked, but II is not
known whether they held out at all.
except for one, the fort or Suarlee,
which was still firing at the moment
Of and during the retreat.
Breaches Well Defender.
"The Germans evidently knew that
the breaches were so we'll defended
that they were impossible. Contrary,
therefore. TO the tactics they had EN-.
ployed at Hege, they did not attack
the breaches but, once the northern
forts were destroyed, turned their
guns upon our fie1d artillery defend
ing the breaches. This fire lasted IL
hours, annihilating our artillery. which
was not even able to reply. That de-
stroyed, the Germans entered the
northern position, but without passing
the breaches. when could have been
defended. When the staff major learn
ed that, he tried TO telephone to the
troops Of the other sections to rally
and fight whilst refreating, In order
to cover the section which had been
ousted; but probably owing to the
work of spy. the telephone had been
cut.
From that moment Namur had
played her part. Once the forts were
taken, or were about to be taken, re-
treat was inevlfaole, Tor one DIVISION
holding out against Two army corps
would have meant complete .destruc-
ton and surrender II became neces.
sary 20 Try 10 save the troops ana
spare them 70 their country, as had
Deen done AZ Lese.
Unfortunately, in consequence OF
the preaklng DOWN Of the teiepnone,
the troops OF the various sections could
only re reacnea py means OF couriefssl
ana the retreat Instead OF IoiioWlng
general pan, was erected u nap
hazard Iasnion, eacn coionel making 2
way Tor himself as pess ne might;
hence msoraer was ihevltaDie.
Micnei did aDsoiuteiy an tnat ne
coulu 40 aho All thas ne ought 20 nave
aone--ne acted as Leman acted. once
the forts We're partlaiiy taken ana e
was no longer possioie % deIend the
breaches, tney9fcctn ordered the re-
treat az y was tneir auty 70 40, Ma
mur and haege being only the neaas
OF pfiases ana IN ne sense OF the
WORD entrenened camps. Iheir part
was 70 noio out &C ieast three Gays m
oroer 70 cover our moDlilzation, and
mat was al.
smells tsll Thirty Minute.
This Is exactly the history OF the