Among the episodes of the war, there is one which, thanks to the brilliant result obtained, deserves mention in the glorious pages of our history. It is the retreat carried out by two infantry2 battalions4, the one of the 34th Line Regiment, and the other belonging to the fortress5. The episode occurred eight days after the occupation of Liége by the German troops when the place appeared to be completely invested. The 1st Battalion3 of the 34th Line Regiment, after organising the defence works of Werihet, in the Barchon-Pontisse sector6, was sent during the morning of August 4th, to the Embourg-Chaudfontaine interval7, with the mission to defend the valley of the Vesdre, in case of any attacks on the Vesdre road or on the Ninane road. Retrenchments were quickly constructed, ditches dug, and quantities of sacks of earth piled up. In short, the interval was soon transformed into a regular fortress. The Commander, on hearing that the enemy was advancing on Liége and had sent out reconnaissances in the direction of Chaudfontaine, ordered a patrol to explore the Rochette wood to the north-east of the Fort. This patrol returned towards[Pg 35] four in the afternoon, bringing Baron9 von Zutfen, Lieutenant10 of the 2nd Chasseurs of Ziethen, as prisoner. This feat11 was cheered, and it was with lively curiosity that our soldiers gathered round the first German prisoner.
The order to retreat given, on August 6th, to the troops fighting in the intervals12 round the Liége position did not affect this Battalion, so that all day long, on August 5th, 6th, and 7th, the men were employed in completing the defence of the valley. During the morning of August 8th, the news spread that German troops had entered Liége. Measures were immediately taken for repulsing13 any aggression14 from the town side. It was hoped that, even if the enemy had succeeded in penetrating15, it might only have been by forcing the Fléron, Evegnée, and Barchon intervals. If this were the case, though, the situation was critical for the Belgian Corps16, and the Commander was surprised that he had received no instructions. From another side, persistent17 rumours18 were afloat, announcing the arrival of the campaigning army through Waremme, reinforced by a French contingent19. What were we to believe? Messengers sent to General Leman did not return and the days passed by in anxious waiting. Every instant we had news to the effect that the circle was getting more and more hard pressed. Officers and soldiers were anxiously wondering whether they would be able to hold out. On the 10th, 11th, and 12th, there had already been various skirmishes between detachments of the enemy who had made use of the Red Cross flag in order to approach, and patrols of a company in retrenchment8 on the Vesdre road, near the second milestone20. A few enemy prisoners were taken.
[Pg 36]
On the 12th, at 4.30 P.M., a terrible bombarding of the Chaudfontaine Fort commenced, which never ceased until 9.30. The following morning at five o'clock, the cannonading recommenced most violently, the Fort was blown up, and the enemy surrounding it rushed from every side to the assault. The Embourg Fort met with the same fate. Finally on the morning of the 13th, towards nine o'clock, a courier arrived at Chateau21 Nagelmackers, where the Commander was staying, with an order from General Leman calling for the troops at Awans.
Just as the 2nd Company, which had been guarding the Chaudfontaine and Ninane roads, was setting out, it was surrounded by an enemy column and taken prisoner. The two remaining companies climbed the hill and reached the Henne Chateau and the Basse-Mehagne farm. On arriving there, the 1st Company, which formed the rear-guard and was being attacked on its flank by a detachment coming from Chênée, executed a helter-skelter firing on the adversary22, whose shooting gradually became less and less intense. Finally, the enemy retreated, so that the little Belgian column was able to continue its march towards Embourg, where it rejoined the 3rd Company as well as a fortress battalion, which was also without instructions and was endeavouring to escape. These various troops, after crossing the Ourthe, some in little boats and others by a chance footbridge thrown across the river opposite Rousseau Island, climbed the Sart-Tilman, keeping by the Boncelles Fort, which was already being watched by the enemy, passed through the village in ruins, driving back the sentinel occupying the Vecquée woods and, just escaping a cavalry23 detachment, finally reached the Communes.
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Our poor soldiers were thoroughly24 exhausted25; they had been overpowered by the heat and tortured by hunger and thirst. Fortunately the population, although somewhat taken aback by their arrival, did all in its power to supply them with provisions.
The retreat then continued in the direction of the Val St. Lambert bridge, which, according to information received, was being guarded by about a score of men. Although obstructed26 by a train and various accessory defences, it could still be crossed in Indian file. All measures were taken for a bayonet attack and, in the middle of the night, our men advanced silently. To their amazement27 there was no one there. What had become of the troops which had charge of the defence of the bridge? Had they made off? This remained a mystery. The crossing of the bridge took some time, but the men were encouraged by this incident and the column set off once more, passing through Flémalle and Mons-Crotteux. After a most difficult march, beset28 by ambushes29 of all kinds, it finally arrived at Awans-Bierzet, on August 14th, at about 2.30. It took up its quarters here, whilst awaiting orders from General Leman. The enemy had been seen in the neighbourhood, so that the roads were guarded and urgent measures of security were taken. Various incidents took place before the end of the day and German detachments, which were approaching the Loncin Fort, had to be dispersed30, causing us some losses.
From information received from various sources, we gathered that the enemy was endeavouring to cut off the retreat. In case this were so, there was nothing left but to fight to the last man. The soldiers and their officers were very much troubled, as they feared[Pg 38] they had not rendered all the services to their country which it had a right to expect from its defenders32. The bombarding of the Loncin Fort began at 3 P.M. and increased rapidly in intensity33.
To those military men who had been present at the fall of Chaudfontaine, it seemed certain that Loncin would share the same fate. There appeared to be only one thing to do and that was to join, at all costs, the fighting army, certain elements of which were then in the Huy suburbs. After such intense nervous excitement as they had just undergone, after so much fighting and such long marches, the men were exhausted. Thanks to the rousing words of their chiefs and to their own earnest wish to avoid falling into the hands of the enemy, they decided34 to make a supreme35 effort in order to escape from the vice31, the jaws36 of which were gradually closing round them. The posts were withdrawn37 silently, between 8 and 9 P.M., and the column, assembled behind the church, was prepared to take its fate into its hands. The commanders of the Hollogne and Flémalle Forts were informed that friendly troops would soon be passing within their zone of action, in an attempt to join the army in campaign.
A somewhat extraordinary itinerary38 was chosen, in order to avoid the most frequented roads. The column was to go from Awans-Bierzet to Hollogne, Mons-Crotteux, Horion-Hozémont, Haneffe, Chapon-Seraing, Villers-le-Bouillet, and Huy. In spite of fatigue39, which made this night march excessively difficult, not a single man dragged behind, not a single one fell out. Each one of them was determined40 to carry out the plan decided on. In the early dawn, the column was within sight of Haneffe, which was[Pg 39] evidently in the power of the enemy, as a platoon of Uhlans was to be seen patrolling the country round. Fortunately this was not an important detachment and, after a feeble resistance, it was driven out of the village.
The Belgian troop continued its march southwards. At seven o'clock, it surprised a flank guard of the same cavalry bivouacking in a field. At a distance of about five hundred yards, the elements at the head of the column opened fire and the Uhlans, without even having time to mount, took flight in all directions. They were impeded41 by their riding boots and spurs. Some of them stumbled and fell and, on getting up, started off faster than before. This excited our men to hurry along in pursuit of them. Two of the least agile42 of the horsemen were caught and taken prisoners. The horses took fright, broke loose, and galloped43 all over the country. The sight would have amused us if it had not been for the dead and wounded who were lying on the ground.
The valiant44 little troop now continued its way in the direction of Chapon-Seraing, where the soldiers had refreshments45 and then went on to Villers-le-Bouillet, which was to have been the end of their trying march, as, according to our latest information, the 28th Line Regiment was there. Once more we were to have a cruel disappointment, as, on arriving, we found that the troops which had been occupying the village had left the previous evening.
Fortunately Huy was only five miles distant. Another effort was made, and slowly, with bleeding feet, exhausted by fatigue and half dead with hunger and thirst, the soldiers, leaning on sticks which they had torn from the trees on the way, dragged them[Pg 40]selves along the dusty horse-road. This last stage of the journey, although the shortest, was the most painful of any. When once we had reached Huy, there was still another disappointment. The 28th had left the town at midnight. From the heights which dominate the left bank of the Meuse, could be seen enemy patrols. From one minute to another, strong enemy forces might appear. The men were terribly exhausted. In spite of the overwhelming heat, they had marched for sixteen hours at a time, during two days. The question was would they have strength enough to start again and to continue their march as far as Couthuin, where the 28th had gone? At the station there was neither an engine nor a waggon46. After some parleying, however, the station-master of Huy-Statte succeeded in getting a train from Namèche and, at 12.30, the column set out by rail for Namur.
In spite of the extreme fatigue of these brave men, it would be impossible to give an idea of the joy depicted47 on all their faces. Nothing could prove the determination of each one of them to escape the enemy better than the result obtained by this supreme effort. Not one of those who left Awans on the night of the 14th had fallen out of the column. Every man of the little phalanx answered to the roll-call at Namur. At the College de la Paix, where they were all quartered, the doctors soon dressed their bleeding feet.
Thanks to their force of character, to their exceptional powers of endurance, and to their extraordinary courage, these heroes escaped a humiliating captivity48. A few days later, they were to be seen once more on the battle-fields of Antwerp and of the Yser, fighting desperately49 with the enemy, and ready again to sacrifice their lives for their country.
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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infantry
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| n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
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3
battalion
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| n.营；部队；大队(的人) | |
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4
battalions
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| n.（陆军的）一营（大约有一千兵士）( battalion的名词复数 )；协同作战的部队；军队；（组织在一起工作的）队伍 | |
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5
fortress
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| n.堡垒，防御工事 | |
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sector
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| n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形 | |
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7
interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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8
retrenchment
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| n.节省，删除 | |
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9
baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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10
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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11
feat
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| n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的 | |
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12
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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13
repulsing
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| v.击退( repulse的现在分词 )；驳斥；拒绝 | |
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14
aggression
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| n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害 | |
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15
penetrating
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| adj.（声音）响亮的，尖锐的adj.（气味）刺激的adj.（思想）敏锐的，有洞察力的 | |
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16
corps
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| n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组 | |
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persistent
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| adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的 | |
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rumours
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| n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传 | |
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19
contingent
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| adj.视条件而定的；n.一组，代表团，分遣队 | |
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20
milestone
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| n.里程碑；划时代的事件 | |
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21
chateau
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| n.城堡，别墅 | |
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22
adversary
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| adj.敌手，对手 | |
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23
cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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24
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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25
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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26
obstructed
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| 阻塞( obstruct的过去式和过去分词 )； 堵塞； 阻碍； 阻止 | |
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27
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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28
beset
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| v.镶嵌；困扰，包围 | |
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29
ambushes
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| n.埋伏( ambush的名词复数 )；伏击；埋伏着的人；设埋伏点v.埋伏( ambush的第三人称单数 )；埋伏着 | |
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30
dispersed
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| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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31
vice
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| n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的 | |
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32
defenders
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| n.防御者( defender的名词复数 )；守卫者；保护者；辩护者 | |
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33
intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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34
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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35
supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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36
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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37
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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38
itinerary
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| n.行程表，旅行路线；旅行计划 | |
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39
fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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40
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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41
impeded
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| 阻碍，妨碍，阻止( impede的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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42
agile
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| adj.敏捷的，灵活的 | |
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43
galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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44
valiant
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| adj.勇敢的，英勇的；n.勇士，勇敢的人 | |
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45
refreshments
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| n.点心,便餐;(会议后的)简单茶点招 待 | |
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46
waggon
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| n.运货马车，运货车；敞篷车箱 | |
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47
depicted
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| 描绘，描画( depict的过去式和过去分词 )； 描述 | |
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48
captivity
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| n.囚禁；被俘；束缚 | |
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49
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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