Whole regions have been ravaged and abominable deeds perpetrated in the
towns.
A committee attached to the Department of Justice is drawing up a list
of these horrors with scrupulous impartiality.
As an example, a few facts are here published, facts which will depict
the state of mind and the procedure of certain German troops:
1. German cavalry, occupying the village of Linsmeau, were attacked
by some Belgian infantry and two gendarmes. A German officer was
killed by our troops during the fight, and subsequently buried at
the request of the Belgian officer in command. None of the civilian
population took part in the fighting at Linsmeau. Nevertheless the
village was invaded at dusk Aug. 10 by a strong force of German
cavalry, artillery and machine guns. In spite of formal assurances
given by the Burgomaster that none of the peasants had taken part
in the previous fighting, two farms and six outlying houses were
destroyed by gun fire and burned. All the male population were
then compelled to come forward and hand over whatever arms they
possessed. No recently discharged firearms were found. Nevertheless
the invaders divided these peasants into three groups.
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