South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-10-17
Belgian SharpShOOters
Attack German Guard,
Releasing Prisoners
Allied SympathizerS in Belgian Capital Report German
Soldiers Were Hopeless in Their Last
Offensive of the War

20 be chaotic on the British front.
and the Germans were especially de
sirous that nothing should leak out.
strongly increased guards were pro
vidcd for the escort Of prisoners.
and on the slightest pretext shots
were fred into the ranks OF prison
ers
We had received intimation that
the British headquarters were eager
% obtain frst-hand information Of
what had happened on the Arras-
Bapaume road, and also with regard
20 the state OF German communica-
tions belond that point. II was sug-
gested that If VIC could effect the
release Of some OF the men and a
trained officer. this information
might be forthcoming Some men
Of the 61st division were paraded
through the streets OF Brussels on
the 2sth Of March. the Germans
giving out that these were the sole
survivors Of the famous division. a
story that may have been intended
20 lift the spirits Of the new troops
by letting them believe that this
terrible black listed division was no
longer 10 be feared or perhaps was
designed 20 impress the Belgian CT
william population
shot N Cold Blood.
We were early ON the move on the
chance Of ehecung "A rescue. but in
Brussels itself there was absolutely
no chance of communicating with
the prisoners, so strictly were they
guarded
Near the Hotel de Vile, a Belgian
girl held out a bunch OF flowers to
these men. most OF whom were
wounded. one Of the soldiers
stepped forward to receive the flow
ers. a German struck him with
the butt end OF his rifle, and the poor
fellow was knocked down. Two of
his comrades made an angry protest.
The German raised his rifle and
fired i'm quick succession. killing one
of the scots and wOunding the other.
Soldiers and. civilians alike were hor-
ror-suuck by this -blooded at
tack on urarmed men. and they
made protests but the only answer
they got was 10 be attacked by the
soldiers with their bayonets. The
German official explanation of this
affair was that the prisoners were
conspiring 10 escape with the aid of
the Belgians.
It was not until the party had
got clear of the city that il was
thought wise TO attempt "A rescue.
We had spent the previous year pre-
pairing for an uprising of the Bel
gian people against their tyrants,
and some excellent companies of
sharpshoters or 'francstirerus" had
been formed TO carry on guerilla
warfare against the Germans. once
they began their homeward trek. BY
way keeping ourselves in train
ing we made frequent attacks on
the German line Of communications.
cutting up weak detachments. des-
troying stores, and rescuing prison
ers. such an enterprise as we had
now embarked on was Just 10 our
liking. and none liked it better than
the women who belonged to our
band.
We kept close TO the Germans and
their prisoners from the moment of
their departure from the city until
they selected their bllets for the
night The German guards were put
IN houses at a hamlet on the main
road. and the prisoners were sup
piled with waterproof sheets and
ordered TO look out for themselves.
our plan was to attack suddenly i'm
the night, kill as many of the Ger
mans as we could, release as many
prisoners as were willing TO take
the risk OF flight. and then disband
as quickly as we could before the in
evitable German re.ufOrcements az
rived on the scene.
Successful Attack.
IL was about three i'm the morn
ing when 1 deemed it wise to order
the attack, which proved entirely
successful. The Germans were
caught at a disadvantage, and very
few of them got away.
The whole of the prisoners. num-
bering one hundred and eight OF
French and British nationality. were
released and broken up into small
I parties under competent guides. who
undertook to see them safely or
their way through the German lines.
Most of them succeeded in the at
tempt and the British headquar-
tiers got the information asked for
without much delay
There was an officer in the party
who was able to make a report on
the state Of the transport behind the
German front line that gave the
Allied commanders all they wanted
To know in time for the measures
they proposed 10 take 10 break the
German communications at their
weakest point by means Of vigov-
-. .r.oL-a iron, Tho air.