App. 8.
Military Court Examination of Sergeant-Major Mävers, Non-commissioned Officer Kielholz, Corporal Fruth, Lieutenant Schliep, Acting-Sergeant-Major Horn, and Corporal Niebeln, all of Infantry Regiment No. 73.
Pontgivart, November 12th, 1914.
Present:
President of the Court, Fuhse.
Secretary, Hensen.
There appeared as witnesses the under-mentioned persons, who, after the importance of the oath had been pointed out to them, made the following statement:
1. Sergeant-Major Mävers, 4th Company, Infantry Regiment No. 73.
As to Person: My name is Wilhelm Mävers. I am 27 years old; Protestant.
As to Case: On the afternoon of August 7th, 1914, somewhere between 6 and 7 o'clock, our company had to secure the eastern exits of Louveigné. We took up a position before a farm at the exit of the village. Suddenly—it was still quite light—a shot was fired near us; the bullet whistled close past my ear. The shot was evidently the sign for a general firing upon the company and on the baggage which remained behind us in the village, for there now commenced a violent fire from the houses, especially from the roofs and upper storeys. The company speedily took up a position on the slope of a garden near the farm where we were posted. While this was going on, I looked round and noticed that several shots were fired from the first storey of a corner house; one saw the smoke rise up after the shot was fired. I am quite certain that I saw that those who fired wore civilian clothes. The company replied to the firing for about ¼ hour, and directed their fire against a house near the above-mentioned farm. In our neighbourhood the fire slackened, while in the village shooting still continued.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: Mävers.