West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-04-08
We're Forced to Leave
Their Home IN Antwerp
CONTINUED from page ~

Continued from page H.
the body OF the German force arrived
In Flanders and occupied Reuters and
Its neighborhood. We were thus not
more in security and must fly before
the second bombardment, thus from
Reuters on the 21st OF Oct. ut one
O'Clock p. m.
| With cars we could go away. We
intended to go to Ypres but an English
officer counseled US to go rather to an
other town near the French frontier
as we would not be I'm security In
Ypres. He was right as two days after
the Germans occupied the town on the
User and have bombarded and de-
stroyed II with all its historical build
ings.
We went thus to Poperinghe, an
old Flemish town three miles from
France. which we reached after two
days. laying the night I'm straw and
eating bread with a few coffee. We
passed many villages that were occu-
pied by the Germans one or two days
after our passage there. Those Ger
mans all directed themselves to the
front for the User.
| We arrived In Poperinghe on the
22d OF Oct. We stopped there till the
18th OF Nov. having continually the
not agreeable visit of German air-men,
throwing bombs. killing persons and
horses or destroying houses. In one
day fourteen persons were killed in
the Market Place. Thus not very
interesting. We slept on straw with
several persons i'm one room. Eating
was scarce, dear, and very bad. Beer
unknown. We lived there all that time
At the end we could not stop there
any longer as all places were wanted
for French and English troops, all
refugees must leave the town and di-
rect themselves to France. 1t was,
meanwhile, becoming very bad wealth
| er. rains, snow-storms, a right winter
time, of course. We were half numb
ed. thus In full winter Notwithstand-
ing this all we were Obliged to leave
our fatherland, and as we could not
have any trains and the route being
impracticable for cars, we were forced
to go again afoot. and in such awful
weather. / assure you that this was
a bad job
We thus left Poperinghe on the 18th
OF Nov. in the morning just as we re-
ceived the visit of German air-man
throwing two bombs at a distance of
200 yards from US. My daughter and
family might stop in Poperinghe as
she and her husband were engaged as
nurse and assistant in hospital for
wounded French and British soldiers.
We left thus. my wife, my youngest
daughter, and myself with family of
four persons of Antwerpers who left
Antwerp with us. and whom we found
back in Poperinghe.
The way we made this is terrible
story. We had till up to that date
wind, rain, snow and continual pass
ing OF troops and auto cars, and we
with our poor luggage made this way
during four hours before reaching a
French place where we could have a
train stopping. My wife became i'll
from WEAKNESS and lassitude. We
were obliged to rest on farm to re-
store her little, and then again far
Their, so we arrived in the French vii
lage OF Winnesalle where we could
pass the night in a bar on chairs. no
possibility to find bedroom
Next morning departure by tram till
Burgues, French town, which was
submerged by the French army for
reasons of defense We were thus
well Obliged to leave our car and to
continue to Bergues the way afoot i'm
snow and stormy. We arrived there at
five o'clock in the afternoon. My dear
sir. there beginning our martyrdom
In France. 1 shall write you the truth
about our journey there. You may be-
lieve 1t is really the truth without any
additions or restrictions. We lay II
not on the government, but on this.
giving our excuse. however, that there
were many fugitives as well as Bel
gians and French people, but IL was
really awful. Dear sir, will write it
TO you in confidence. However. we
have told It, and we made our claims
about 1t to the members OF the Munich
palities of Bergues and Calais. Thus
In Bergues we were received by what
we call gendarmes, a sort of police
man. We were conducted as prison.
ers to an old building belonging to the
city and in which with about 300 re-
fugees, men, women and children. we
must pass the night on straw, receiv-
| ing for all food dry bread and a little
coffee. We could not resolve ourselves
to that situation and were happy to
find lodging. two small rooms and
chairs to pass the night. We were with
seven persons and paid therefor 81 90.
The next morning we were sent to
Calais. they told us that we should be
better in that town and we should re-
ceive a definite destination in France
as they assured us. The refugees
were no longer received i'm England
but afterwards we stated, this was
| lie.
AZ Calais we arrived at five O'Clock
p. m. in winter weather, frost and
snow. the same reception as at Ber-
CUES awaited us there. We may say
worse as the building where we were
sent to was not totally clean. Il was