At the Red Cross hospital at Lennep the under-mentioned witnesses were met, who, after the importance of the oath had been pointed out to them, were examined as follows:
1. Peter Behle, 20 years of age, Catholic, foreman builder from Lennep, musketeer of the 6th Company, Infantry Regiment No. 16, after taking the oath, made the following statement:
In the middle of August, in a Belgian village called, I think, Tirlemont, a controlled fire was opened upon us in the dark by the civil population. No Belgian troops had been there for a long time. Shots were fired from, amongst other places, a fruit garden. My comrade, Franz Gockel from Wiesdorf, was fatally shot through the back of his head. The order was then given to collect the weapons in the houses, to secure the men, and bring the women and children into the church. In doing this we discovered unfinished revolvers, the wooden handles of which were still lacking. The houses, from which shots had come, were set on fire.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: Peter Behle.
2. Otto Biernirth, 34 years of age, Protestant, certificated business instructor of Bremenhaven, non-commissioned officer, Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 213, after taking the oath, made the following statement:
On October 20th we were in front of the village of Staden (Flanders). The whole night through we were fighting exclusively with francs-tireurs, who fired from the houses. In the morning we had to capture the town. However, some 400 to 500 metres from the town, a flanking fire came from a single house on the left, whereby our comrade Fröse was struck by a ricochet bullet. From this house, which was seized, four francs-tireurs emerged.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: Otto Biernirth.
3. Willi Kandt, 31 years of age, Evangelical, merchant from Berlin, war volunteer, 2nd Company Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 201, after taking the oath, made the following statement: