The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1914-09-19
GERMAN OFFICER
TELLS EXPERIENCE
WOUNDED OFFICER TELLS STORY
OF ACTUAL WAR SCENES
TELLS OF MUCH SUFFERING
Says Rir Grew Hot From Fire As
Rifle Pits We're
Discharged

vivid description Of the lighting
before Liege, attributed to German
Dfiicer who was seriously wounded in
the battle. is published by the Weser
of Bremen. Under the cap
ton From the Border to Liege, the
officer describes his experiences and
feelings in letter which reads in
part as follows
"Our trip to the Belgian border
was triumphant procession. II was
pouring rain as we marched through
the Ardennes The towns seemed
deserted. We had no rest and during
the night were fired upon.
"At a. m. Aug. 81 we marched
through the Oarthe valley, meeting
obstacles everywhere. IL was an awful
march the roads were blocked by fell
led trees and boulders OF bridges
there were only remnants In the
afternoon we took up quarters in a
village south of Liege.
STORM LTEGE. IS ORDER
Seven O'CLOCK. An alarm is sound
ed the captain shouts storm Liege,
"It is impossible. We cannot go
farther the forts are thirty-hve
kilometers away, but we press on.
Thirty minutes pass and we are fired
upon from the heights. Now shots are
fired directly at us from nearer points.
We draw our revolvers and rush for
ward.
"The field is alive with troopers of
all arms. It is raining in torrents a
thunder storm is roaring, and the night
is pitch dark. We press on. We see
soldiers fall. Now they fall in masses
and do not rise. The sky clears, the
moon shines we hear cannonading.
suddenly we hear that our baggage
has been attacked. Our company turns
back. The village has been burned
down. Meanwhile we keep on, close
TO Liege, and turn of behind the wood.
-Four regiments lay down their KNAPP
sacks and iron rations are taken out.
The last exhortation is given we form
in ranks for the charge.
MEET HAIL OF BULLETS
''Shells whiz past. but without aim.
We gallop by our artillery stuck help
10 SLY in the mud up to the stomach
A wild hail of bullets bursts on us
from a point directly opposite. Our
own men are firing upon us, but just
in time we are recognized. Now we
are directly in front Of the firing line
of the forts. There is wild clamoring
The parole Woereth is given Frienc
and enemy look alike.
II am lying before barricade o
trees and barbed wire. with my com
rade. Lieut. @. on my left and the
captain on my right Shells explod,
all around everywhere is the inferna
noise Of musketry fire. The air Il
hot. A few yards ahead we may ge
better cover. nudge Lieut.. q an'
ask shall we 60 forward2 No answe
he il dead. The captain jumps T.
his feet and falls back he Is shot II
the breast. | raise my arm, the com
pany responds to my word of com
mand, -
WOUNDED BY SHELL
II rush forward. A terrible bloy
.t-.4 -. lr.I. tLxaa gaot 4 Lav
received she'll in the left thigh
The pain is terrible. Before me ri
officer calls ont hi name, holds ont hi
right hand 20 me and then falls bacl
dead. In front of me there is faI
and try 10 crawl mp TO it. Tn
bearer il dead A second shot strikel
me in the lett arm third in tn
right arm bite the earth with pain
A few steps in front OF me are th
Belgian rifle pits Our men advance
| lie in one place nearly 12 hours, We
despite the hail of bullets nothing hap
pens 90 me. A doctor comes wit
bandages at noon | am carried away
Shivering with fever / meet our regi
ment. It's losses are terrible-thre
captains, six lieutenants dead, nearl
all from my battalion.
II am taken 10 a field hospital
During the first few days I suffer ter
ribly. but now | am much better
There are others who have 10 suffe
greater pain than | that makes on
keep quiet. have lost everything
The clothes / wore were so soake
with blood that they were burned
a Russian brought me some underwea
and sympathetic little woman is wash
ing and mending Il uniform for me.