The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1914-10-02
oxford Men Relate Adventures
in Belgium While Germans
Were Ravaging 1t.
SAW VILLAGES DESTROYED
Reached louvain In Time 70 Witness
tho Burning and Looting Of That
Beautiful City by the Troops
of the Kaiser.
By HERBERT TEMPLE,
european Manager Of the internatlon-

al News Service.
London.-Two Oxford university
students have arrived in London, af-
ter most exciting trip through the
war zone. They passed through the
1n Brussels. Aix-la- Chapelle, Louvain.
Liege and elsewhere. One Of them.
A. J. Dave, told this story:
II was accompanied by another OK
ford undergraduate, and we left Lon
don for Ostend, arriving in Brussels
on August 10. A week later we start
ed out on what proved the most ad-
venturous time We ever had. II is
probably due to the fact that we have
a good knowledge of French and Ger
man that We managed to get home at
all.
"On leaving the city We walked
along the road towards Louvain. Ev-
-erywhere we were challenged by Ger.
man sentries, and met streams of ref
ugees coming into the city carrying all
their belongings in bags. AS we went
along the evening sky was lit up by
burning buildings. Straight ahead Of
us was Louvain. by this time in flames.
In fact. all round US there could be
seen flames.
I'VE turned off that night towards
LMalines, our idea being to get north.
through the German lines. We stayed
the night at Saventhem, and on our
arrival there were no Germans to be
seen, but in an hours time we were
awakened by the rumble of wagons OF
the German commissariat, and the
landlord came and searched US for
arms. On finding we had none, he
allowed us to remain. In the morn
ing we found the place had been peace
fully occupied by German troops. We
left that place and struck north to
Steenocken. on the road to Malines.
Saw Cortenberg Destroyed.
Here on the cross roads we met a
party OF German officers who refused
to allow us to go further north. We
then turned back on the road towards
Louvain. AS we approached Corten-
berg we heard firing, and at the sta
tion we were challenged by German
sentries who searched us. Luckily for
us We had taken the precaution to de-
stroy our English passports, our check
books, and everything that might dis
close the fact that we were English
men.
las we were being searched some
German officers came over and took
us on with them through the village.
In the main street firing was going on,
and We heard that four or five uhlans
had been shot as they passed through,
and this troop had been dispatched to
destroy the village as a punishment.
For their terrible purpose the Ger
mans had brought with them carloads
of straw, and with these they set fire
to the houses. We were made to walk
up the main street holding our hands,
while two German soldiers were told
off to cover us with with their revol-
vers. This was In the afternoon, and
from three to six o'clock we had TO
stand at the end of the street while
the firing went on. 1t was a terrible
spectacle. and our first glimpse OF the
horrors of war, for we saw five civil
fans as they left their burning houses
ruthlessly shot down by the German
soldiers. Soon the whole street was
in flames. The German soldiers, how
ever, spared women and children and
marched them on one side before they
fired the village.
PerIIous Trip In the DARK.
a.
and produced q flask of brandy which
] had with me, while the Germans
looted a cafe and brought out cognac.
Then they allowed Us to go on towards
Louvain. BY this time II was dark,
and we were In danger not only OF
being shot by sentries, but also by
Inhabitants, who might take us for
Germans. We walked on through a
wood and struck small village called
Veltham. Although We went to sew.
eral cafes we could not obtain any
thing to eat and no one would give US
shelter, SO We went to the village
priest. Poor man, he could do moth
ing for us; his place.was already full
OF refugees, and he advised us to go
into the woods. However, we con-
trived to get little chocolate and
with a loaf OF bread which we had
brought with us, We managed to make
a scratch meal, after which we lay
down in a barn.
sleep was quite out OF the question,
for the place was overrun with rats.
In the morning we continued our way
through the village and two little Bel.
gian girls came out and gave US some
bread and butter. for which We were
very grateful
"Just outside OF Louvain We met
troop Of Germans and they allowed
US 70 90 on, although they told Us
there was considerable danger as the
Inhabitants we're still firing" Nei- /
lber OF IS Niil ever forget the spectacle