INVESTMENT OF LIEGE

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11153, 11 August 1914, Page 1

INVESTMENT OF LIEGE

Onlookers' Vhid Descriptions.

GERMANS I SOLID PHALANX. DRIVEN TO SLAUGHTER.

' SDNS CDT LONG AVENUES THROUGH MASSED TROOPS. . BRITISH FLEET HOLDS . TEE NORTH SEA.

VIVID ACCOUNTS OF THE FIGHTING AT LIEGE ARE SUPPLIED BY CORRESPONDENTS THIS MORNING. THE GERMANS ATTACKED IN SOLID PHALANX, BEING RUTH«SSL? iDRIVEN TO SLAUGHTER BY THEIR OFFICERS. WHOLE RANKS WERE MOWN DOWN A WOUNDED BELGIAN OFFICER SAYS: "OUR; GUNS CUT LONG AVENUES THROUGH THEIR RANKS, PORT ARTHUR WAS NOTHING TO IT." • * FRENCH TROOPS -ACTED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A BRITISH CRUISER IN TAKING POSSESSION OF TOGOLAND, A GERMAN COLONY IN AFRICA.

* By; Telegraph—Press, Association— Cop-right : (Received; August 8, 10 a.m.) 'BRUSSELS,, August 10.

MB BEST, THE WAR. CORRESPONDENT, ESTIMATES THAT THE GERMANS LOST FIFTEEN THOUSAND AT.LIEGE.

ACCOUNTS OF THE FIGHTING STATE THAT THE GERMANS ARE GLOOMY,' BEWILDERED, AND FEARFUL REGARDING THE TERRIBLE ' COSSACKS WHO ARE ABOUT TO ENTER AND DEVOUR THEIR COUNTRY: THIS SULLEN ARMY MET THE BELGIANS ANIMATED BY A PASSIONATE PATRIOTISM. INCREDIBLE AS IT SEEMS, TIIE GERMANS WERE MARCHED TO DEATH ALMOST SHOULDER TO, SHOULDER.

A MIGHTY FUSILADE OPENED UPON THE MEN WHO . WERE BEING DRIVEN FORWARD BY THE OFFICERS, TERROR DIVIDING ITSELF BETWEEN DISCIPLINE AND DEATH.

A WOUNDED BELGIAN LANCER STATES:—

'IT WAS TRAGIC TO SEE THE GERMANS DRIVEN UP TO THE GUNS. THEY CAME IN MASSED FORMATION, BUT RELUCTANTLY AND EVIDENTLY UNDER. COMPULSION, ONLY ' FIVE APART, WTTH FIFTEEN PACERS BETWEEN. THE RANKS WERE A SOLID MASS, WHICH WOMEN COULD HAVE HIT, OUR GUNS CUT LONG AVENUES THROUGH THEIR RANKS, PORT ARTHUR WAS NOTHING TO IT." LONDON, August 10. MR DONQHUE, THE WAR CORRESPONDENT, : TELEGRAPHS JFROM BRUSSELS, FORT BONCELLES, IN THE EXTREME SOUTH, BORE THE BRUNT OF ! TH£ ATTACK, AS THE GROUND WAS MORE FAVOURABLE FOR THE ATTACKERS TO ATTACK IN A MASS, AND RECALLED THE EARLY DAYS OF PORT ARTHUR, WHEN GENERAL NOGI SACRIFICED THOUSANDS-

THE ATTACK ON LIEGE FAILED T AMENTABLY, THANKS TO THE UNDAUNTED COURAGE OF A MERE HANDFUL OF BELGIAN DEFENDERS. THE GERMANS FINALLY RAN SHORT OF RIFLE AMMUNITION. TOWARDS THE END OF THE -GENERAL ATTACK THE MEN, DESPITE THE THREATS £ND EXHORTATIONS OF THE OFFICERS, EFFUSED TO FACE BELGIAN FIRE. ' THE GERMAN WOUNDED JUGGED PITEOUSLY FOR WATER, AND MANY WERE fOODLESS FOR TWO DAYS. THE ARMY RTTSHED TO THE fRQNT WITHOUT VW&IXG ifOR SUPPLpa