Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1914-11-06
BY EDGAR ANsEL MowRER.


quarters of the Belgian army behind |
fhe line OF the River User from Nieu-
wort to Dixmude. have seen how
the remnants of the army from Ant
werp retreating on the way to Ostend |
were sent to northern France to rest |
and reorganiZe and how the rest of |
the Belgian forces, being asked to hold |
the lines AZ hours have actually held |
it for six days, thus preventing siege |
of Dunkirk and saving the French |
coast from invasion.
stick to Antwerp to Last.
Contrary to what was at first report
ed, the Belgian army left Antwerp only
after all the forts except four had been
destroyed, and these four the defend
ers blew up as they hastily evacuated
the town, the heroic Belgian. General
de Guisel remaining to the last. What
part of the retreating Belgians en-
tered Holland and are held by Dutch
authorities is not known here.
1t is certain that the others never
would have escaped the Germans but
for the heroic stand made by a mixed
force of English, Belgians and French
marines In the village of nellie. south
west OF Client, wherein two Belgian
regiments-the Sixth volunteers and
the Ninth of the line-parttcularly dis
tinguished themselves.
Walks From DunkirIS TO France.
/ reached Furnes October 16, hav-
ing walked from Dunkirk, / crossed
q bridge, reached q village street and
after two turnings emerged on the
quaint old market place of Fumes, the
home and present seat of the general
headquarters of the Belgian army. /
went at once to the headquarters in
the town hall, made known my iden-
Gity and secured a pass.
Standing before the headquarters
was an automobile containing three
British soldiers. / approached and
asked the nearest one where the Ger
mans were. He looked at me with
astonishment and before replying or
letting me explain who was and why
l had come, he exclaimed: Good
Lord! Have they let you come this
fart Well, since you are here, it can
do no harm to tell you where they
are" He drew a map from his pocket.
Here they are" he said. laying a
finger on the village of Middlekirke.
Our line extends from Newport to
Dixmude. The Belgians are intrench-
ing themselves all along the line"
starts Out for NIeuport.
thanked the soldiers and set out to
walk to Newport. On the outskirts
of Fumes l passed a regiment of Bel
CLANS starting for Dixmude. turned
to the left in the direction of Newport,
but at the village of Wulpun / was
turned back by an overpolite Belgian
sergeant.
That night heard a terrible can
nonading, and Saturday morning, DC
tober IT, 1 learned that the battle of
IA Il
which has not yet come to an end. it.
self is only part of the greater bat
tie of which 1t Is likely to be the
center. Small though 1t is in the num-
Der of troops engaged, the battle Of
the User presents three distinct
phases, according to the nature of the
ground.
About eight miles east of Fumes lies
the town OF Dixmude, where the attack
began. The Belgians here had been
REINFORCED by 5000 French marine In
fantry, these marines forming the first
line of defense, 400 yards beyond the
town and on the right bank of the
User. The Germans attacked with
great violence about nine o'clock Fri
day evening. Marines who figured IL
the battle estimate their opponents
strength at 10000. The attack contiu
WNS-
the marines, ably assisted by French
and Belgian batteries placed behin'
the town. drove back the Onslaught
with considerable loss.
Reaches the Belgian Trenches.
When | reached the Belgian bal
teries and trenches about eleven a. m
Saturday the former were keeping u
a steady fire Some of the Belgian
lying in the trenches which had bee
the second line of defense tried to DC
ter me from continuing farther. a
the shrapnel fire was rather heavy a
this point, but / proceeded until
reached about one kilometer lsi1
tenth of a mile) on this side Of tn
town. Belgian lieutenant previous
ly had given me permission to go on
kilometer beyond the town to a pr
sition which, as l learned later, woul
have put me exactly between the OF
posing forces and in full line wit
the rifle fire.
Escapes Shrapnel of Germans.
l turned aside and approached
church in the midst of small villag
Z All the morning the booming OF tn
far away German cannon had bee
audible. but it seemed without impo
lance. Now had my first experienS
of being under fire. AS was about
enter the church, intending to mouI
into the beIfry, heard an unneryir
whir. of a somewhat lower pitch tina
that produced by projectiles from II
Belgian guns. It grew louder, loud
and louder l felt as II devils
ing machine was looking about hun
ing for me, and for brief second
wished that had never come. The
with loud report, the German snra
mel burst harmlessly beyond Il
church and 100 feet mp in the al
Since that day have heard and SCI
perhaps 20 shells burst nearly ov