Chapter III

FIGHTING AT CHARLEROI IN THE FRENCH LINES—A RAILWAY OFFICIAL’S
ADVENTURE—A ZOUAVE OFFICER’S IMPRESSIONS—FRENCH ARTILLERY
—HEAVY GERMAN CASUALTIES—-THE FALL OF NAMUR—A BELGIAN
SOLDIER’S TRIBUTE.

Shifting the scene for a time to the operations on the French lines, we obtain a view of the fighting in the neighbourhood of Charleroi on the eve of the great battle on the Belgian frontier, from the description of a correspondent to a Paris paper, and communicated by Mr. A. Beaumont:—

Our troops, he said, in conformity with the plan laid down for them
are harassing the Germans on the right and the left banks of the
Meuse, keeping in constant contact with them, killing as many of
their scouting parties as possible.

I witnessed on Friday morning, August 21, a series of engagements
of this kind outside the suburbs of Charleroi. I saw our outposts
everywhere, and heard rifle fire here and there, with now and then
troopers coming in and bringing prisoners with them.

Our cavalry was in splendid form, and eager for action. Two hundred
yards from a certain bridge I saw seven Uhlans coming out of a
wood. Three of them were shot down at once, and the remainder
hurriedly fled.

On my return to Charleroi I learn that a detachment of twenty
Hussars of the Death’s Head, led by an officer, had entered the
upper town at seven in the morning. They proceeded towards the
Sambre, and quietly said, “Good morning” to the people at the
doors. “Bon jour, bon jour,” they said to the housewives, who were
looking on in wonder, and who, mistaking their khaki uniform, took
them for English soldiers.

People even enthusiastically raised cheers for England. The
soldiers, also misled, allowed them to pass. An officer finally saw
them from a window, and rushed down to a detachment on guard in the
Rue Pont Neuf, and gave the alarm. A number of infantry soldiers
at once opened fire on them. It was at the corner of the Rue de
Montigny, where the tramway and railway lines pass.

Three of the intruders were shot down, and the rest, with their
officer, took to flight. It was not believed that such a thing
would be possible, but it proved that the Germans are capable of
anything. They did the same thing many a time in 1870.

At two in the afternoon the guns were heard in the north. The
Germans, coming from Eghezee, had placed heavy batteries and siege
guns in position before Namur. But the Namur forts immediately sent
such a murderous and accurate fire in reply that, in less than
half an hour, the German battery was silenced, and half the guns
demolished.

Another line of attack chosen by the Germans was between Brand
L’Alleud and Genappe, over a front of some ten to twelve miles. The
German batteries here met with the same fate.

A day later the same writer said, in writing from Jeumont:—

I left Charleroi last night for Jeumont, on the French frontier,
but not a bit too soon. It was high time. This very morning the
engineers of the Northern railway line witnessed the attack on
Charleroi.

The Germans, from the outskirts of the upper town, were sending
shells on the railway station and on salient parts of the lower
town. They were trying to force a passage across the bridges over
the Sambre. Fugitives from all sides arrive here (at Jeumont) by
the last trains. After two o’clock in the afternoon the guns were
distinctly heard, first from the direction of Charleroi, then from
Thuin.

The Germans are being met by the English. This is the beginning of
the great battle which has been expected.

An account of the French operations on Saturday, August 22, was printed in _La Liberté_ from the description of a railway official on the Belgian frontier. The official said:—

It was on Saturday, towards nightfall, that we heard the first
sound of the cannon. We had known, however, for several hours
that strong German forces were preparing to attack the allied
armies massed on the banks of the Sambre, and that a great battle
was imminent. All night long, without cessation, the cannonading
continued. Till dawn we had no news of the battle. On Sunday
morning we learned from wounded soldiers on their way to Maubeuge
that the battle was engaged all along the line, and shortly
afterwards we heard the sound of heavy firing to the north. From
noon onwards we could distinctly see the flight of shrapnel through
the air, and from the top of the motor-house, situated on rising
ground, could follow the phases of the artillery duel.

We soon saw that the Germans’ fire was badly directed. They rarely
hit their mark. On the other hand, the English artillery fire,
which held the heights round Mons, was admirable in its precision,
and wrought terrible loss among the massed German troops. We
remained all Sunday night on our observatory, and at dawn we had
the conviction that the English very definitely had the upper hand,
and that the German attack had been repulsed.

However, the news which reached us during the evening from environs
of Charleroi was anything but good. It was said that the town had
been taken and retaken several times, and had been subjected to a
terrible bombardment, which had reduced it practically to ruins.
At two o’clock on Monday morning a cyclist messenger informed us
that the French had once more occupied the town. He said that the
Germans before leaving it had set it on fire, and that the French
troops would find it difficult to maintain their position there.
In any case, the cannonade became louder during the night, and at
daybreak shells were bursting within a quarter of a mile of the
station.

Later in the morning of Monday we received orders to evacuate the
station, which was now becoming untenable. We were told that, the
French having been outnumbered on the east of Charleroi, the allied
troops had been compelled to retire on the frontier. When we were
leaving the station and getting into the carriage, we heard the
sound of joyous shouts from the road. We went out to see what had
happened, and to our stupefaction saw a detachment of seven Uhlans
commanded by an officer. The inhabitants, unfamiliar with foreign
uniforms, had taken them for English cavalry. The error was soon
discovered. A French captain on service in the station shot the
German officer through the head, and a patrol of mounted Chasseurs
rode up and took the men prisoners.

The defence of Charleroi by the French against the overwhelming hosts of the Germans was a marvel of audacity and courage.

Two inhabitants of Auvelais, a straggling village with a population
of about 8,000, situated between Charleroi and Namur, gave the
following account of what they have witnessed:—Our village (they
said) occupies both banks of the Sambre, the portion on the left
bank being divided into two by the main road leading from Genappe
to Eghezée. Since Sunday week German aeroplanes have been flying
over the country, and one was pursued, though unsuccessfully, by
a French machine. Many French troops passed and were received
with enthusiasm. On Thursday evening, August 20, a patrol of
Uhlans suddenly appeared on the road. The French horsemen were in
their saddles at once, and left the village at full gallop, their
swords flashing in the air. They overtook the Uhlans at Balatre,
and attacked them, killing six and returning without any loss to
themselves.

At eight o’clock next morning firing began. The Germans advanced by
the main road, literally crawling along the ground, and stopping
now and then to fire. Just at this time a German aeroplane dropped
a bomb on a factory, but without doing any damage. By ten o’clock
the firing on both sides was terrific. From where we were we saw
six French soldiers fall. Suddenly the French artillery came into
action, and until midday the guns fired continuously with terrible
effect. On the other hand, a German shell, which struck the roof of
a house opposite us, rolled into the road without exploding, and
we saw many others which also failed to explode. The Germans took
shelter in the houses on the left bank, and the French infantry
were ordered to retire in order that the artillery might dislodge
the enemy.

In five minutes everything was burning. Other Germans came through
the woods and entered the town, where they behaved like madmen.
They smashed in doors with their rifle butts and threw special
burning cartridges into the houses. We were warned that it was time
for us to escape, but we saw some terrible scenes. A woman who had
forgotten to bring some clothing for her baby, and who returned to
obtain it, was seized by the Germans. They made her march before
them, and at the end of about 200 yards killed her. The French,
though inferior in numbers, resisted splendidly, and the Germans
were compelled to halt.

The artillery duel was then resumed. Everything round our house
was burning furiously, and we had to abandon all. When we arrived
at Esau the soldiers made us crawl along the edge of a wood. The
bullets were whistling above us, and of the forty people in our
party only three dared to pass. At Chatelet we met strong bodies of
French troops, and at eight in the evening we left for Charleroi.

The fighting, however, had spread, and we had to go further. At
8.30 the last train left. A German aeroplane dropped a bomb within
twenty yards of us, and though all the glass in the station was
broken, no one was hurt. We thought we might reach Mons, but there
was fighting there, and we were taken to the frontier and thence to
Paris.

A criticism came from a wounded gunner. “If we lose many men,” he
said, “it is the fault of the infantry. They go ahead too quickly,
and end by interfering with our fire.”

A French Zouave officer, who returned wounded from the front, related the following. His regiment took part in the fighting round Charleroi when the Prussian Guard Regiments suffered so severely.

Describing the effect of the German artillery, the officer said that the shells when they burst produce a series of terrific explosions, but do comparatively little damage. The soldiers quickly perceiving their chief characteristic is noise soon get accustomed to them. One man who was struck in the back by a splinter of shell was merely bruised.

On the other hand the French artillery fire had a deadly effect. Its accuracy was little short of marvellous. For instance, he saw a German battery appearing in the distance, and even before it could unlimber it was destroyed by the French fire.

The ravages caused by the French artillery were enormous. Whole ranks of infantry were mown down by the shrapnel, some of those shot dead remaining standing owing to the numbers of bodies accumulated round them.

The officer estimated the German casualties during three days of fighting at between 50,000 and 60,000, far exceeding the French losses. He confirmed acts of untold cruelty perpetrated by the Germans. The French soldiers were enraged by their practice of finishing off the wounded. One officer, severely wounded while his regiment was retreating, was so convinced of the fate in store for him that he blew his brains out.

The Germans seemed to delight in wanton destruction. At nightfall their lines were lit up by burning villages on the horizon.

When asked his opinion regarding the military value of the German troops, the officer said that their bravery was wonderful, especially that of the Imperial Guard, which did not flinch before a most murderous fire.

On the other hand, the _moral_ of the French troops was splendid. They were not in the least disheartened by a temporary check, and were convinced that if well led they would achieve wonders.

A number of French soldiers wounded in the battle of Charleroi reached Chartres soon after the battle. A soldier in the Colonial Infantry gave his impressions of his part of the fierce fighting—naturally a restricted part. “I only saw a tiny morsel of the battle,” he said. “With our African comrades we advanced against the Prussian Guard. The bullets sang continuously above our heads. We advanced by short rushes, taking advantage of the smallest cover. We were as if intoxicated by the wine of battle. I do not know how long our advance lasted. All I remember is that our last shots were fired at fifty yards distance from the enemy. Then we rushed forward and attacked them with cold steel. Had we been more fortunate our attack would have given us the victory.

There are no troops in the world, however courageous they may be, who can stand against a bayonet attack of our African soldiers. Unhappily, our charge was broken by a withering fire from machine guns which the Germans had concealed in the ruins of an old factory. We had to retire with severe loss, but it is consoling to think that the Prussian Guard must have suffered at least as heavily.”

Several wounded soldiers of an infantry regiment also gave their impressions on that part of the Titanic struggle in which they were engaged. They said that the Prussian marksmanship was not good. They fired too low. Besides, when the French advanced in skirmishing line, they protected their breast with their packs. These improvised bucklers deadened the force of the enemy’s bullets. The German practice with the machine guns, on the other hand, was deadly, but the position of these guns was easily discovered, and when discovered they were speedily silenced by the French seventy-fives. The Turcos, who, though the most formidable of fighters, have an ineradicable strain of childishness in their nature, seem to have supplied very helpful comic relief. One of them captured a German officer, carefully disarmed him, and was leading him off to the rear, when the officer began cursing him in broken French. Our Turco’s first impulse was to kill his prisoner, but he thought better and more wisely of it. He decided to humiliate him. Accordingly, at the bayonet-point, he compelled the officer to carry his pack, and, to put the finishing touch to the humiliation, placed his regimental gamelle, or saucepan, on the prisoner’s head. The entry of the Turco into camp, preceded by a Prussian major, crowned with a saucepan and performing an impromptu goose-step at the point of the bayonet, was highly successful.

While the British troops were fighting at Mons and the French were engaged at Charleroi, Namur was in the last throes of siege. The strategic value of its position at the confluence of the rivers Sambre and Meuse rendered it of supreme importance to the Allies, and the fame of its forts was such as to raise high expectations as to their powers of endurance. The unexpected news, therefore, of the fall of Namur on August 23 was received with dismay, because it was believed that after the siege of Liège it could make a stout resistance with the support of the Allied Armies. But for several days the fortress had been practically isolated as the French were not sufficiently advanced to render it much aid, and its fall was due to the tremendous fire of the German siege guns. Some of these howitzers were stated to have been 11 inches (28 cm.) calibre, and to have required teams of 35 horses to move them. Of these guns there were some thirty batteries in action, with one or two guns to a battery. A number of howitzers concentrated simultaneously on each fort and smothered it with fire. The Germans are said to have attacked in a formation three ranks deep, the front rank lying down, the second kneeling, and the third standing. They afforded a target, which was fully used, for machine-gun fire. The Turcos fought well against the German Guard Corps, but while attacking they were trapped by Germans sounding their charge at 600 yards, and they were “badly mauled” at 300 yards from the German position.

The inhabitants of Namur, said M. Auguste Mellot, the deputy of the town, had hopes until Thursday, August 13, that the Belgian army, joined by the French and English, would meet the forces of General von Emmich and rout them before they reached Namur. But on that day the Belgian horsemen met a detachment of Uhlans who were much more numerous than usual. Although they were repulsed, not without a hard struggle, by the Belgian lancers and carbineers, they did not doubt that the Germans would return in greater force. Preparations were therefore made in Namur for a strong resistance. But while they were thus occupied, the first three shells burst over the town on August 14. One of them struck the bridge of Salzinnes in the midst of a gathering of onlookers, five of whom were killed. From that moment they received shells every day. There were more killed in consequence, not to speak of the material damage done. On Saturday, August 15, the cannonade was distinctly heard at Dinant, where the Germans were trying to force the passage over the Meuse, and were repulsed by the fire from the French machine guns. After this it was thought that the Allied armies would be able to drive the Germans out of Belgium. However, the German cavalry came nearer and nearer to Namur every day. Information was then received that the railway line was cut. The mail from Brussels failed to arrive regularly.

On August 18 the anxiety of the inhabitants increased. The German cavalry had been seen at a place in the neighbourhood and it was evident that they were being surrounded. On Thursday, August 20, their fears became still greater. They gave up hopes of hearing of a decisive battle north of Namur. News had arrived of the occupation of Brussels, and no one was permitted to pass between the lines of the forts, even with a permit.

During the night the cannonade began all around Namur. On August 21 the battle around the town became general and lasted all day. While eleven German Army Corps were passing the Meuse, coming from Bisé, a powerful force was detailed to mask their march, and kept up a heavy fire on our positions. The German attacks were multiplied the whole time, and their fire extended over a line of some ten miles on the left bank of the Meuse, and over a similar line of the right bank of the same river. During that time the French forces sent to meet them tried to check the German advance.

By five p.m. on August 23 Namur was completely evacuated, the defenders finding themselves unable to support the heavy artillery fire.

* * * * *

A Belgian soldier, who pays a high tribute to the courage of our men, in a letter to a relative in England says:—

Many of us have been able to see for ourselves the wonderful phlegm
of the British soldiers. They are born warriors. They are soldiers
by predilection as much as by trade. Most of them have taken part
in numerous campaigns, and many fought in the Boer War, in which
they gained precious experience. We have listened with admiration
to the glorious accounts which our chivalrous French neighbours
have given to the world of the British soldiers’ coolness and
tenacity in the fight near the village of Quaregnon, where
twenty-six Britishers routed more than 3,500 Germans. The fight was
witnessed by some of our own staff, and the story is absolutely
authentic.

It happened after the different battles which resulted in the
evacuation of Mons. The Britishers, who had fought like heroes,
must have retreated with reluctance in obedience, it is true,
to orders received from the military authorities. As they were
only giving ground step by step twenty-six Fusiliers entrenched
themselves in a farm overlooking the long, straight road leading to
Quaregnon. They were in possession of several mitrailleuses, and
they made holes in the farm door, three lines of three holes in
superposition, and placed their mitrailleuses in position.

“Now, boys,” shouted one of the twenty-six, “we are going to
cinematograph the grey devils when they come along. This is going
to be Coronation Day. Let each of us take as many pictures as
possible.”

As soon as the Germans appeared on the road and started attacking
the canal bridge the Fusiliers very coolly turned the handle of
their deadly guns, commencing with the lower tier, and with the
same placidity as a bioscope operator would have done.

The picture witnessed from the farm on the “living screen” by the
canal bridge was one that will not easily be forgotten. The “grey
devils,” as the Germans are now commonly called, dropped down
in hundreds like those tin soldiers (made in Germany) which our
children arrange in long lines on the table and which fall in one
big mass when the first one is slightly touched with the finger. In
a few minutes the corpses were heaping up. Then followed another
onslaught by the mitrailleuses placed against the upper part of the
door, followed immediately by a fresh deadly sweep and by another
one.

The Germans, however, found out their difficult position, which
exposed them to this destructive fire, and they resolutely took a
turning move, and made straight for the farm. When they got there
they found neither guns nor Fusiliers, but only an opening in a
party wall, through which the plucky operators had disappeared with
their apparatus.

There was nothing left for the Germans but to continue their
march along the road, which gets narrower just before entering
the village. They had not gone more than 200 yards before a fresh
rain of lead, which was kept going for a long time, and mowed them
down like grass, and in still more considerable numbers than at
the first fight. With a wild rush the remainder of the Germans,
about 150, stormed the door of the new farm which sheltered the
enemy, but found only the mitrailleuses, conscientiously put out
of order. As for the twenty-six heroes, they had disappeared like
a conjurer’s rabbit, to rejoin their regiment, without having
sustained the slightest injury, after having routed 3,500 Germans.