COURAGEOUS BELGIANS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15689, 17 August 1914, Page 6

COURAGEOUS BELGIANS.

REPEL THREEFOLD ATTACK

AUDACIOUS CAVALRY RAID,

THE CAPITAL IN DANGER

BATTLE LASTS TWO DAYS.

ENEMY LOSES 2000 MEN.

Brussels, August 11.

The chief event of Wednesday and Thursday was an audacious cavalry raid by General von Emmieh's right wing, threatening Louvain and Brussels.

The attack was threefold. A column from Huy, south-west of Liege, attacked Eghczee, due north of Namur. Another reached Tirlemont, midway between Brussels and Liege, as a feint to keep the Belgians busy while he principal attack at Diest, 25 miles north-west of Liege, was developed. Sudden Attack in North. A German cavalry force, accompanied by an infantry battalion and 12 guns, crossed the River Getle and flung itself upon Haelen and Diest. Tho attack was so sudden that the Belgian engineers had barely time to blow up the bridges, and only the bravery of the Civic i Guard prevented a column of l Mecklenburg Dragoons with six guns surprising Diest.

The Germans advanced 'in close formation. Their artillery fire was comparatively ineffective, while the Belgians' guns tore great gaps in the advancing columns.

They fought pluckily, hurling the Belgians from .strong natural positions, but owing to the nature of the ground the German infantry was unable to deploy.

I Though the civilians of Brussels I were naturally anxious regarding the result of the battle only 28 miles away, the presence of French | troops in the streets of the city rei stored their confidence. Germans Trapped in Ambush. ; The Germans galloped to a little I village a mile and a-half away from ! Diest, and suddenly encountered a i barricade of farm waggons, while I the road in front was torn up. A I mixed force of Belgians and I machine guns defended the position with reckless courage. The dragoons galloped into a virtual cul-de-sac. With revolvers drawn, they faced a murderous lire, the only living things to surmount the barricade being seven riderless horses, maddened by fear. The surviving Germans sheltered behind their dead horses, and the Belgians, believing that the resistance was ended, rushed out from I behind the barricade, many being shot, Later a field-gun was brought up, and the German survivors were forced to fly. Enemy's Ranks Shattered. The general attack on Haelen and Diest was maintained all day, but the Germans' extreme right wing failed to turn the Belgian position.

The enemy was allowed to advance slowly. The Germans hurled themselves against the barricades, and endeavoured to carry them by force.

The Belgians shot them down, the attack on the ridges being as savage as that at the barricades. The Germans fell rapidly, until their ranks were almost, shattered.

Meanwhile, the Germans at lluy were bombarding the forts, particularly that jutting out into the peninsula on the north bank, which hampered the crossing.

Cavalry columns on Thursday crossed between Huy and Narnur, and reached Eghezee and Jodoigne. respectively south and north of Ramillies, which is 13 miles north of Namur.

The artillery and cavalry duel was continued on Thursday, when the Belgians brought up fresh troops to relieve those who had been fighting on Wednesday.

The Belgians had few dead, but. a considerable number of wounded, while the German losses during the two days were estimated at 2000 killed and wounded. Surprise Attack by Belgians. A mixed detachment of Belgians to-day surprised German cavalry regiments encamped between Namur and Eghezee, and forced them eastwards, capturing many prisoners and machine guns. There are now no German cavalry between Hasselt and Ramillies.

English correspondents report that the. country from Tirlcmont to Saint Trond, 11 miles further east, at the beginning of the week was rich cornfields and well-tended gardens, but now the farms are smoking ruins and the fields downtrodden.

The German staff at Liege occupied the Convent of the Saere Cceur, and barricaded itself against attack.