South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-10-19

which ne founded IN Belgium
during the war. and which had
for It's purpose the rescue Of
Britishers who had been taken
pisoners by the Germans
This is fourth in a series OF
articles)
BY FREDERICK MAXWELL.
Through the representative Of the
Belgian government secretly in
stalled in Brussels. / received. in the
middle OF 1918. a request that !
should arrange as far as possible
for competent officers and men
whom I aided TO escape from the
Germans TO remain behind the Ger
man lines for the purpose Of pick
ing up what information they could
about the dispositions OF the Ger
mans to cover their retreat from
Flanders and TO report their obser-
vations to the British headquarters
through the air couriers who were
then passing between different parts
OF Belgium and the allied lines
We got 90 work at once on this
proposal. and in few weeks time
British and French officers and men
who knew how TO make use Of their
eyes and ears. So thoroughly was
the work done by these men i'm CO.
operation with the aerial couriers
that before long there was hardly
a movement of the enemy that was
not reported within a few hours 20
the allied headquarters.
For instance. IL was released
British officer who was the first 20
discover the German evacuation of
the Flanders coast. and less than an
hour after the first German moved
out Of ZecbruEge the information
had been given 10 an airman who
was speeding on his way TO head
quarters with this news
Forced Huns To Hurry ..
II was the intention OF the Ger
mans to carry out the evacuation by
slow stages extending over three
months. and had the original plans
been adhered 10. the Flanders coast
would not have been free until the
end Of December. As it was. the
timely discovery OF the German
plans forced them to expedite the
evacuation. and it also compelled
them TO leave behind great quaint
ties OF stores that they had intend
ed 70 take away.
1t was not merely that the Brit
ish feet was menacing the garrison
from the seas, and there was daily
expectation OF a landing. The allies
concentrated a powerful aerial force
along the railways and roads, by
which the Germans were carrying
out the evacuG ton, and these air
men. who were in possession Of the
most accurate information, We're
able 10 harass the enemy in such a
fashion that all idea of orderly and
systematic withdrawal had TO be
abandoned.
I was an eyewitness Of one stage
Of that withdrawal about the time
when I was working in the Cam
brai region. I had gone to Bruges
ostensibly in connection with the
work OF feeding the civil population.
When got there I found the whole
town in an uproar. Allied airmen
were over the railway station. and a
number OF bombs had been dropped
causing fires and wrecking a num-
her OF trains that had been passing
through the station on their way to-
wards Germany.
Panic-striCken Troops.
The roads leading into and out OF
the town were Uttered with wreck
age and long lines of motor lorries
abandoned their charge in face of
the persistent attacks of the allied
airmen. Panic had seized the
troops who had been marching in
TO entrain for other parts OF the
front and all semblance Of order
had been abandoned.
The soldiers had broken ranks.
and were IN hiding wherever they
could get the appearance OF shelter.
Large numbers had been killed by
the bombs, and when the allied air
men came low and used machine
guns the panic and slaughter be-
came worse than ever. / saw a bat
talon OF German infantry on the
march. They had just reached the
cross roads between Bruges and
Client. when the allied airmen ar
rived. The men were terror-strick-
en- az the sight of the aeroplanes.
and before they could scamper for
shelter the bombs were dropping
IN QquiCk succession. and the ground
was thickly Carpeted with dead and
dying
The Frightened Huns
one German officer who sought
safety in the doorway beside me ex-
claimed i'm an excess of terror:
What is the use of going ou2 only
death awaits us The more British
and French we defeat the more
there seem 10 Dee az them Germany
ought 20 have given up the struggle
Song ago. we cannot fcht a worId. '
The men under him were equally
depressed. and refused 20 be rallied
when their officers in half-hearted
fashion tried 90 reform the ranks
D saw the Germans break away. and
scamper across the FIELDS in terror
The aeropIaues We're then flying