This is largely due to the
fact that the testimony of soldiers is seldom available, as the towns
and villages once occupied by the Germans were seldom reoccupied by the
opposing troops, and the number of refugees who have reached England
from the Namur district is comparatively small.
ANDENNE.
Andenne is a small town on the Meuse between Liege and Namur, lying
opposite the village of Seilles, (with which it is connected by a bridge
over the river,) and was one of the earlier places reached on the German
advance up the Meuse. In order to understand the story of the massacre
which occurred there on Thursday Aug. 20, the following facts should be
borne in mind: The German advance was hotly contested by Belgian and
French troops. From daybreak onward on the 19th of August the Eighth
Belgian Regiment of the Line were fighting with the German troops on the
left bank of the Meuse on the heights of Seilles. At 8 A.M. on the 19th
the Belgians found further resistance impossible in the district, and
retired under shelter of the forts of Namur. As they retired they blew
up Andenne Bridge. The first Germans arrived at Andenne at about 10
A.
Pages:
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429