Firing started on our left. We were
told it was the civilians firing, and that we were going to be
shot. The truth is that it was the Germans themselves who were
firing to frighten us. There was not a single civilian in the
neighborhood. Shortly afterward we proceeded on our march to
Malines. We were insulted and threatened.... The officers were
worse than the men. We got to Campenhout about 7 P.M., and
were locked into the church with all the male population of
the village. Some priests had joined our numbers. We had had
nothing to eat or drink since the evening of the day before. A
few compassionate soldiers gave us water to drink, but no
official took the trouble to see that we were fed."
Next day, Thursday, the 27th, a safe conduct to return to Louvain was
given, but the prisoners had hardly started, when they were stopped and
taken before a Brigade General and handed to another escort. Some were
grossly ill-treated. They were accused of being soldiers out of uniform,
and were told they could not go to Louvain, "as the town was going to be
razed to the ground.
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