C. App. 1.
Extract from the military diary of the General Officer commanding the XII. (1st Royal Saxon) Army Corps.
August 22nd, 1914.
On August 22nd the Imperial Headquarters remained at the Château of Taviet. The day was occupied in carrying on reconnaissances in the manner directed. Towards 3 o'clock in the forenoon the report came through a General Staff-Officer sent in advance that the 2nd Battalion of Rifle Regiment No. 108 had succeeded by a night attack in throwing the enemy back across the Meuse at Dinant. Here the inhabitants had once more taken part in the fighting, in some cases with shot-guns.
August 23rd, 1914.
The General's Staff reached the western outlet of Sorinnes at 4 a.m. The 23rd Infantry Division, present at the same point, immediately reported its readiness for opening fire; the 32nd Infantry Division, communication with which was at first lacking, did not report until 5.40 a.m. At 5.55 a.m. the Commander-in-Chief gave the order to fire, which, at first, could not be complied with on account of the thick weather.
In virtue of the command to open fire, the General in command gave the order: "The divisions to occupy the bank on this side of the Meuse with strong lines of riflemen, to enable the slopes on the opposite side to be taken under an effective infantry fire." As the weather, towards 6 a.m., permitted regular artillery fire to be delivered, it was observed that the enemy only replied weakly. For this reason the General in command gave the order at 6.30 a.m. that his reserve troops were to follow their divisions, as he expected a more rapid advance of the divisions towards the Meuse. For the same reason the General Staff proceeded at 8 a.m. to Gemechenne.
The next reports received up to 8.30 a.m., as well as a reconnaissance undertaken by Captain Bahrdt and 1st Lieutenant Count Schall in the district of Dinant, seemed to contradict this assumption. At 8.50 a.m. a report arrived from Colonel Francke, Infantry Regiment No. 180, which seemed to confirm the original opinion of the General in command. A communication by the Oberquartiermeister with reference to the observation of an army airman coincided also with this opinion. At the same time the Commanding General had directed that the order for the crossing of the Meuse should be made out.
In the meantime, the troops had also advanced into new positions in the direction of the Meuse. It seemed to be more and more certain that the enemy had to all intents and purposes withdrawn, and only continued to offer any serious resistance at the presumed crossing-places, especially at Houx.
Although 1st Lieutenant Berckmüller and 1st Lieutenant Count Schall reported at 10.15 a.m. that on a renewed reconnaissance near Dinant they had met with brisk shrapnel-fire, the Army Corps order to cross the Meuse was given at 10.20 a.m.; for this purpose a half of the bridge-building corps was placed at the disposal of each of the two divisions. For the more rapid suppression of the resistance at Houx, the reserve division of the General in command was given back to the 32nd Infantry Division at 10 a.m.