DEFENDING ANTWERP.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11207, 13 October 1914, Page 1

DEFENDING ANTWERP.

BRITISH UNDER FIRE. STORY OF THE SIEGE. By Telegraph—Pieas Association— Copyright. (Received October 13, 10 a.m.) LONDON, October 12. Correspondents agree that the German attacks between the outer and..' inner forts of Antwerp were carried out with an utter disregard of life, in face of; mines and all other means of defence. Long after their entry, the Germans, fearing mines, continued firing upon and around the ruins of blown-up forts. Five train loads of German wounded from around Antwerp have been sent, to Aix-la-Chapelle. i I The " Daily Telegraph " has opened j a shilling fund for a Christmas gift to King Albert and for the Belgians at | Antwerp. L Messages despatched prior to the capture of Antwerp record demonstrations following the arrival of the Britj ish troops. The whole population was I raised from extreme depression to exul- ! I tation, and the Belgian soldiers, for

the first time, sang triumphant marching songs. Afterwards they fought with dogged, careless gallantry and they became new men. The British troops occupied the advanced trenches near Nethe, where they were exposed to a continuous, galling shrapnel fire, without a chance to return the fire with their rifles. Accordingly the men wore brought back half a mile from the river to bettor constructed trenches, During the night of October 5 the Germans crossed the river, but were beaten back by the fire of the English marines. | Belgian officers speak with the deepest emotion of the gallantry of the Britishers. On October 6 British guns were mounted on tbp inner ring of forts, but it became increasingly evident by OcI tober 6 that the Germans were only awaiting an opportunity to bombard the city and that there was no hope of saving it.