Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-11-17
.!BELG|AN L|BERAT0Rs
FOUGHT TO THE LAST
Threw En> my Out VI EecloO on Sat
urday and Drew Nearer
'SS Cheat.
MANY TOUCHING REUNIONS
eBclgian Soldiers, Separated From
y Families by Wall of Steel for -Four
Years, Fight Way Forward Deter
mined on DclivotanCc of Homes.
by RonEI,T wr:LI.Es RITCHIE.

,(Copyrght. 1915. by Universal Service
At BELGIAN ARMY HEADQCAR-
a strip of Belgium emerged frog, the
German glacier today in the sunlight
OF liberation. and Client. hearing ;he
thunder of the guns drawing nearer
and nearer, must know it is perhaps
but question. Of hours before four
years OF bondage will be broken.
After ten days OF stubborn resist
ance the Germans yielded the whole
length OF the Lys Canal before dawn
falling back TO the intricate network
of waterways guarding Client less THAN
jaw Of pinccrs closing southwark is
meeting the Bclg ian jaw closing north
ward to nip the Germans out OF Client
and force Il German retreat towards
Brussels.
was fortunate in seeing the NOV
ing spectacle of the belgian city
the German glacier before the lire
breath of the Belgian guns.
Eeclov. numbering tiuoo inhabitants.
the most important town between
Bruges and Client. TWO kilometers "a
mile and ouHrtcr> behind III" l.ys
Canal. had heard. u.a"hy. tn" thunder
of the guns since ortohcr 20. and seen
the spoutinc geysers "our shells over
the beet fields and pastures almost 10
the edge OF the town. Eecloo had
lived In agony that the liberaiors Just
across the canal would break through
and force the hated masters back o.
ward Germany.
AT DAWN SATURDAY
FOE beat HASTI RETREAT
At dawn to-day the town witnessed
hasty German retreat. The streets
were jammed with guns timbcrs. am
balances and all the parapnernalia Ok
war MOVING, toward Client. while he
'Spitcful machine guns stu snapped anu
back the impctupus Be+pians
At o'clock the last gray coat dis
appeared. Then happened "A magical
change. The town DiOOmcd into "A
gala dress of flags. many or them
saved for four years, others secretly
Fabricated against the day which
every Belgian held in high faith; the
day Of liberation.
at 0 o'clock five Belgian cyclists
r l,,sa, weariiy down from hastily
outskirts OF the town. Then Flemish
stoicism dissolved itself and hysteri
cal JOY succeeded
Our liberators! Hurrah. The brave
Belgian soldiers
Cries such as these sped down the
streets. and children wearing tricolor
ear Tb as ay welfome for The erusad,
overwhelmed with kisses and embraces.
machine gun companies. Finally. when
a stronger pontoon had been construct
OF Belgian cavalry. Pnndemonium of
JOY greeted them.
Our auto was held up on a broken
"a itHt, thU Suluc ana l
walked four kllometers. crossing the
canal by way Of shaky legs and shut
ters from ,hs doors OF battered houses
wired together We arrived In the
TOM ,w, at noon; The cavalry stream was
SIN flowing between banks Of citizens
; almost exhausted with JOY.
A spiteful German airplane circles
high over the town. threatening 10
bomb 1t, but Eecloo did not heed the
stopped everywhere by cries Of wei
come from tow headed children who
presented us with bouquets and shop
liquors hidden during the long years
of suffering.
SAW HOMEMADE GOLD
GLORY" Thrown TO RREIIZE
The only flag l saw besiues the Bel
Slan was homemade Old Glory. The
wcrnt enough stars. but 1t told touch
ing story OF the significant place
America holds IN Belgian hearts.
stories told by the people of Eecloo
1tants of Ostend and BruGcS. Of cold
and hcartlcss tyranny. petty annoy-
anceS and downright brutality on the
part of their taskmakcrs during four
bitter years.
My companion drew my attention TO
the window OF IL dwelling in when me
owner juhilantly displayed Il mass of
brass ana copEsr utensils ana orma-
menis .see!-eted from the Germans. In
anoiher window was 4 battered bus,
OF King Albert. hardly rccogulzabie
prcbab!y cherished in a dark little at
TIC aSains, The liberation day
An ancient crone stopped us:
Dear gcL tcmcn. please accept my
Srayer-book as = g!fi TO commemorate
this day. Every nigh, 10. four wears
have prayed from i; that this day
would come.
Occupation of Ecc,oo dd no, come
about without hili.r ITO him. ,lnn,