My War Memories, 1914-1918
column. Suddenly there was a longish halt. I pushed my way to the front. There was no apparent reason for the halt, which proved to have been due to a most regrettable misunderstanding erf the situation. I myself was really only a spectator, and had no authority to give orders. It was my duty only to report the events at Li6ge when I met rny General later on, and also to co-ordinate General von Emmich's plans with General von Billow's probable disposition. I put the column in motion again and remained at its head. In the meantime, we had lost touch with the troops in front. We had considerable trouble in finding our way in the pitch darkness, but at length reached Retinne. We were still out of touch with the others. I started out from the village at the head of the column, and took the wrong road. We were immediately fired at, and men fell right and left. I shall never forget hearing the thud of bullets striking human bodies. We made some rushes at the invisible enemy, but the firing became more intense. It was not easy to take our bearings in the dark, but there was no doubt that we had gone astray. The essential thing was to get out of range, and this was unfortunate, because the men could only think that I was afraid. But there was nothing else to be done—higher things were at stake. I crept back and gave my men the order to follow me to the outskirts of the village.
Once back at Retinne, I found the right road. Here I saw General von Wussow's orderly with his horses. He thought that the General had fallen. With a handful of men I took the right road, the high road leading to Queue du Bois. Suddenly there was firing ahead. Machine-gun bullets swept the road but did not harm us. A little further on we came across a heap of dead and wounded German soldiers, who proved to be some of the advance party with General von Wussow. They must have run into machine-gun fire earlier on. I collected some men of the 4th Jager Battalion and the 27th Infantry Regiment who were gradually arriving and decided to take over the command of the brigade. The first thing was to destroy the enemy's machine-guns firing down the road. Captains von Harbou and Brinckmann, of the General Staff, pushed their way, with
34