Present:
President of the Military Court, Naumann.
Secretary of the Military Court, Schwarzbach.
La Malmaison, December 1914.
In the investigation concerning the violation of international law committed against the German troops, there appeared as witness Corporal Saring, who, after reference to the significance of the oath, was examined as follows:
My name is Johann Georg Saring. I am 22 years of age; Protestant; locksmith by trade; corporal, 12th Company, Infantry Regiment No. 182.
On the afternoon of Sunday the 23rd August, 1914, I saw in Dinant the arm of a man thrust itself out from the first storey of the pharmacy. The hand held a pistol. The pistol was fired at us soldiers. The arm was wearing, as I plainly saw, the Red Cross band. I burst the door in with a pickaxe; there came out children, women, and an elderly man, and, last of all, the man with the Red Cross band. This man was taken to Colonel Francke, whilst the other civilians were detained in the corner of a house. We then rushed towards the church in which the inhabitants had been brought together. As I know for certain, we were fired on from the tower of the church. This could only have been done by the inhabitants; enemy troops were not to be seen the whole of the day.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: Johann Georg Saring.
The witness was thereupon sworn.
Signed: Naumann.
Signed: Schwarzbach.
C. App. 18.