The Heavy Commissariat Column No. 2 reports that the column on the 20th and 23rd August, before and after its entrance into Marche, was fired at by the inhabitants.
Signed: Burkhardt, Captain and Column Commander.
Present:
President of the Court, Schweinitz.
Secretary, Lips.
Ferme Fleuricourt, October 7th, 1914.
There appeared as witness Captain Burkhardt, who, after the importance of the oath had been pointed out to him, made the following statement:
As to Person: My name is Heinrich Burkhardt. I am 44 years old; evangelical; farmer; now Captain of Landwehr; Commander of the Heavy Commissariat Column No. 2.
As to Case: On August 29th, 1914, outside Hollogne, fire was opened upon us from the wood from all sides. It was about 6 o'clock in the evening. We were on the march to Marche. There were no enemy troops in the neighbourhood. Our assailants were therefore civilians. We also took prisoner about twenty civilians who were caught red-handed in the wood, and these were conveyed to Marche by an artillery munitions column.
On August 23rd, 1914, we marched right through Marche. Shots were fired at us and at the munitions column from various houses. However, we made no halt here at all, as we were bound for Laroche.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: Burkhardt.