THE BELGIAN SPIRIT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXIX, Issue LXIX, 21 May 1915, Page 3

THE BELGIAN SPIRIT.

The following is translated from the | letter of a member of the. Medical Corps of the Belgian army: — I should like to tell you how I got into the fields of the Yser after retiring from Antwerp, and what has been done by the little, worn-out, but unconquerable Belgian -army in this part ot the country. Our battalion was oiie of th<? last that left, Antwerp, and we tried-to reach Ghent. Our men behaved splendidly—they marched in good order, and cheerfully; but when we arrived at Moerbeke; we were told at once that German troops had been sighted further west, and that it was impossible to get through that way. Our retreat was cu+ off! I lost my battalion at Moerbeke, and I remained with a rearguard only. Oar m:nJ was soon made up. The only >h\a£ to b> done was to hurry to the I):idcli irontier and to find a way to Ostend. This we did. It was about 4 o'clock in the afternoon. The following morning, by a stroke of good luck, we found our battalion once more near Sar Van Ghe-it. We Lad io leave at once; the> Uhlans were advancing upon us. and did not lose a minute. Two days after we arrived at Ostend. At Fumes we joined the rest of the Belgian army. We ail rejoiced to have escaped aud to be able sti 1! to serve beloved Belgium.. . You will,' however, readily admit that we had deserved a rest. So thought I, and, according to certain rumors, it was said we were to leave for France. In fact, we were ordered to turn back, to face the enemy, and to keep the banks of the Ysct1, cost what it might. You may believe It of not, but 1 affirm it as a true fact that the Belgians stood up as one man and were ready to check the Kaiser's army or die. The fierce battle of the Yser began and raged more than ten days. After ten days our regiment was relieved, but the following morning the new arrivals had to yield gro.und, and the enemy crossed the Yser. We spent a whole week in throwing them back. Thanks to the floods and the arrival of French and British troops, they had to retreat after leaving thousands of dead and wounded. On account of their brave conduct the 7th Regiment has been decorated by King A)ber+. It was a glorious day, but still a sorrowful one But Belgium is still unconquered, and I can assure you the last Belgian soldier will have fallen before Belgium is a German province.