How I first heard the bullets whistle on patrol
Event ID: 96
Categories:
21 August 1914
Source ID: 4
‘I had the task of determining how strong the occupation of a large forest near Virton might be. I rode out with fifteen Uhlans and realised that today would be the first clash with the enemy. My mission was not an easy one, for there can be an awful lot in a forest like this without you being able to see it. I came over a height. A few hundred paces in front of me lay a huge forest complex of many thousands of acres. It was a beautiful August morning. The forest was so peaceful and quiet that I could no longer feel any thoughts of war. Now the top was approaching the entrance to the forest. You couldn’t see anything suspicious through the glass, so you had to ride up and wait to see if you could catch fire. The spike disappeared into the forest path. I was next, with one of my most capable Uhlans riding beside me. At the entrance to the forest was a lonely ranger’s hut. We rode past it. All at once a shot was fired from a window of the house. Immediately afterwards [32]another. I recognised at once from the bang that it was not a rifle shot, but that it came from a shotgun. At the same time I saw some disorder in my patrol and immediately suspected an attack by Franktireurs. One thing was to get off the horses and surround the house. In a somewhat dark room I recognised four or five lads with hostile eyes. Of course, there was no shotgun in sight. My anger was great at that moment; but I had never killed a man in my life, so I must say I was extremely uncomfortable at the moment. Actually, I should have shot the Franktireur down like a piece of cattle. He had fired a load of shot into the belly of one of my horses and wounded one of my Uhlans in the hand. I shouted at the gang in my poor French and threatened to shoot them all down if the culprit didn’t come forward immediately. They realised that I was serious and that I would not hesitate to put my words into action. I can’t remember how it actually happened. In any case, the marksmen were suddenly out of the back door and had disappeared from the face of the earth. I shot after them without hitting them. Luckily I had surrounded the house so that they couldn’t actually slip away. [I immediately had the house searched for them, but found no more. If the guards behind the house hadn’t been paying attention, the whole place was empty. We found the shotgun standing by the window and had to take our revenge in another way. In five minutes the whole house was on fire. After this intermezzo, we moved on. I recognised from fresh horse tracks that strong enemy cavalry must have marched directly in front of us. I stopped with my patrol, cheered them on with a few words and had the feeling that I could absolutely rely on every one of my lads. Everyone, I knew, would stand their ground in the next few minutes. Of course, none of them thought of anything other than an attack. It must be in the blood of a Teuton to run over the enemy wherever you meet him, especially enemy cavalry, of course. I could already see an enemy squadron at the head of my pack and was drunk with joyful anticipation. My Uhlans’ eyes flashed. So we continued at a brisk trot along the fresh track. After an hour’s sharp ride through the most beautiful mountain gorge, the forest became a little lighter and we approached the exit. I realised that I would run into the enemy. So [34]be careful! with all the attacking courage that inspired me. To the right of the narrow path was a steep rock face many metres high. To my left was a narrow mountain stream, then a meadow fifty metres wide, bordered by barbed wire. All of a sudden the horse track stopped and disappeared over a bridge into the bushes. I stopped at the top, because the forest exit was blocked by a barricade in front of us. I immediately realised that I had been ambushed. I suddenly recognised movement in the bushes behind the meadow to my left and could make out dismounted enemy cavalry. I estimated their strength at a hundred rifles. There was nothing to be wanted here. Straight ahead the way was blocked by the barricade, to the right were the rock walls, to the left the meadow fenced in with wire prevented me from my plan, the attack. There was no time to dismount and attack the enemy with carbines. So there was nothing left to do but fall back. I could have trusted my good Uhlans to do anything, but not to run away from the enemy. – That was to spoil the fun for many, because a second later the first shot rang out, followed by a furious rapid fire from the forest over there. The distance was about fifty to a hundred metres. The men were [35]instructed that if I raised my hand they were to join me quickly. Now I knew we had to go back, so I raised my arm and waved to my men. They must have misunderstood. My patrol, which I had left behind, thought I was in danger and came rushing up in a wild caracho to chop me out. All this took place on a narrow forest track, so you can imagine the mess that happened. My two lead riders lost their horses because of the raging fire in the narrow ravine, where the sound of each shot was multiplied tenfold, and I only saw them take the barricade in one jump. I never heard from them again. They are certainly in captivity. I myself turned round and gave my good ‘Antithesis’ the spurs, probably for the first time in his life. It was only with great difficulty that I was able to tell my Uhlans, who came rushing towards me, not to come any further. Turn round and away! My lad rode beside me. Suddenly his horse fell, I jumped over it and other horses rolled around me. In short, it was a chaotic mess. All I could see of my lad was how he lay under the horse, apparently not wounded, but tied up by the horse lying on him. The enemy [36]had taken us brilliantly by surprise. He had probably been watching us from the start and, as the French are apt to ambush their enemy, he had tried it again in this case. I was delighted when, two days later, I suddenly saw my boy standing in front of me, albeit half barefoot, as he had left one boot under his horse. He told me how he had escaped: at least two squadrons of French cuirassiers had later come out of the forest to plunder the many fallen horses and brave Uhlans. He had immediately jumped up, climbed the rock face unwounded and collapsed in a bush fifty metres up, completely exhausted. About two hours later, after the enemy had returned to his ambush, he had been able to continue his escape. After a few days he came back to me. He could say little about the whereabouts of the other comrades.’
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