German soldiers had previously told this witness that if the
Burgomaster of Termonde, who was out of town, did not return by 12
o'clock that day the town would be set on fire. The firing of the town
was in consequence of his failure to return. The prisoners were
afterward taken to a factory and searched for weapons. They were
subsequently provided with passports enabling them to go anywhere in the
town, but not outside. The witness in question managed to effect his
escape by swimming across the river.
Another witness describes how the tower of the Church of Termonde St.
Gilles was utilized by the Belgian troops for offensive purposes. They
had in fact mounted a machine gun there. This witness was subsequently
taken prisoner in a cellar in Termonde in which he had taken refuge with
other people. All the men were taken from the cellar and the women were
left behind. About seventy prisoners in all were taken; one, a brewer
who could not walk fast enough, was wounded with a bayonet. He fell down
and was compelled to get up and follow the soldiers. The prisoners had
to hold up their hands, and if they dropped their hands they were struck
on the back with the butt end of rifles.
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