NAMUR.

Timaru Herald, Volume CI, Issue 15448, 10 September 1914, Page 7

NAMUR.

STORY OF ITS CAPTURE. BELGIAN FORTS.

BEATEN BY BIG GUNS. Received ll.<lo p.m., Sept. 9th. OSTEND, Sept. 8 (p.m.). Renter reports that survivors of Namur stato that General Michel and staff made two mistakes. They allowed tho enemy to como too close, without attacking, and waited too long for help from the French who were imablo to send assistance in time. Tho Belgians waited on tho Meuso for a. week for the Germans on tho other bank to attack, happy in the belief that every day's delay was a, gain on tho path of victory, whereas tho Germans were benefiting by tho lesson of Liege, and instead of hurling regiments forward, waited for tho arrival of enormous siege guns. Screened by a curtain of cavalry and finally covered by a fog, they placed 32 guns at two points out of range of tho Belgian guns, for concentrated firo on a single section. The Germans wero accurately informed regarding Namur's defences. Survivors relate that they spent ten hours in tho Belgian entrenchments. lying flat, through a terrible /ordeal, unablo to seo tho enemy or to firo a shot. If they had put a. head above the ramparts it would simply,, have been blown off. Whole regiments were decimated. Meanwhilo the guns were turned upon forts Mairgeret and March ovelette, which was .armed with oldfashioned guns. Fort Mairgeret fired ten shots and received twelve hundred ' shells at the rate of twenty a minute, and soon surrendered. MISPLACED CONFIDENCE. NO PREPARATIONS FOR RETREAT General Michel and staff were so confident that tho fortress would hold out that they had not provided for the eventuality of retirement. Great confusion ensued. A narrow road . was choked with a swirling torrent of men, horses and vehicles. Many wounded wero left behind. The Germans followed close on their •heels, and stores in the fortress, field artillery, and many motor cars fell into their hands. FRENCH REINFORCEMENTS. FAILED TO ARRIVE. WERE BEATEN OFF. Tho rctreaters hoped to join tho French reinforcements at Saint Gerard from Dinant, but the French were overwhelmed at Dinant, and could only send two regiments, which bravely fought their way through with heavy losses, i Tho Germans, moving more rapidly, cut off the Franco-Belgian retreat to Bois les Villiers, where German machine guns disabled some Belgian guns and made a clean sweep of several motor cars filled with officers. At lavst tho rctreaters cut their way through, with terrible loss. The regiments wero hopelessly intermingled. The retreat was continued, ever harassed and pursued, and then they tumbled right into tho path of the French retreat from Charloroi. This further demoralised the Belgians, who eventually reached Phillippevillc. where they reformed. From there they reached Konen, in seven days. OF 26.000, ONLY 12,000 ESCAPED. Tho Namur garrison and field numbered 2G.000, and only 12.000 escaped.