Antwerp

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 51, 16 October 1914, Page 5

Antwerp

BELGIUM DESCRIBED AS "A SKELETON COUNTRY."

United Pkess Association. London, October 11

I A correspondenet who escaped from [Antwerp says:—"The defences, es- | pecially the arrangement of the outer forts, was not planned to cope with the artillery the Germans used, but were defended with conspicuous gallantry. With anything like approximately equivalent artillery the Belgians might have held out indefinitely. ■ Neither the Lelgians nor the British : need have «any feeling but pride 'at the courage with which they clung to a desperate, forlorn hope. Both ■failed, but only because the task was beyond human capacity, and both deserve nothing but honor ajnd admirajt.ion." I Another correspondent states that the Germans entered Ghent unopposed, the Allies retiring in order to prevent the.bombardment of the city. He adds: "Belgium is becoming ai skeleton country, a land of empty towns and villages, and fields of ruins." "S.S.S." NO SIGN OF BELGIAN LIFE IN ANTWERP! London, October 14. The German commander at Antwerp informed a Dutch journalist that the 42-centimetre guns were not used in the bombardment, and that they were only to have been, employed if the city had not surrendered. The journalist accompanied the commander through the streets, and saw no sign of Belgian life. The city was little damaged. GOVERNOR TAKEN PRISONER. Amsterdam, October 14. German newspapers state that General de Guise, the Governor of Antwerp, was taken prisoner, and i 3 now at Aix-de-Chapelle. ' TREACHEROUS SCOUT SHOT DEAD. (Recevied 8.50 a.m.) London, October 15. While the Naval Brigade was marching from'Antwerp, an officer discovered a scout leading them into the German positions, and the scout was shot dead. : FRENCHMAN RECEIVEB CROSS OF THE LEGION OF HONOR. (Received 9.50 a.m.) It transpires that when President Poincaire's visit to General Joffre was arranged, the Germans sent one of. their best aviators to drop bombs upon ifchem. This resulted in an aerial duel, in which the French aviator Frantz Drought down a.German machine, and aviators being incinerated. Frantz received the Cross of the Legion of Honor for his exploit.