1914 Chapter 3

3. The battle at Sambre.

Dieter Luther, Gefreiter

Sambre is a river which was part of the Meuse River. It’s also known as the Sabis during ancient Rome. We marched towards the general location of the river and hope to use it as our guide to Charleroi to join up with the Second and Third Army. I was in Second Platoon and we were told to be on guard for BEF forces.

"Dieter, what is the Command that concern them to put on their pants? We are about a hundred and sixty thousand strong, and who is the BEF to fight us? They are probably in Paris still working out the deployment plans." That was what Dietrich Muller had to say on the warning by the Hauptmann. Dietrich read all the bulletins that he came into his hand. He once sneaked in on the Command Post and read the battle plans. That was how we won the last military exercise; Dietrich knew where the rest were hiding and he brought us out winners.

"Kaiser" We named him as the ever knowing one, "if I catch hold of a BEF troop, I would feed you to him. I would let the two fight it out in a ring. Whoever won would get a silver platter from us." We all laughed as that silver platter does not exist but there were several in Berlin in our Command Office. They won’t miss it although they do it as an award every year to the winner of the boxing event. They just grabbed one of the plates and presented it before it returned to the Command Office. No complaints on the plate but they enjoyed the punching bouts.  

"Make sure you engraved my name on it. The last time I won it, I could not find my name." Dietrich was commenting on the list of names on the plater to date.

"Kaiser, yours was too embarrassing to display, so we engraved it at the back of the plater. Kaiser, Boxing Champion as he won by a lucky right hook." I knew that bout; we added in vodka to the other fighter drink and forced him to drink. He was intoxicated when he stepped onto the ring. So Dietrich did not do much except punch hard. We all laughed at that event except one new recruit; Michael Muller.

Mueller was a the young lad just send up from reserves like myself. He looked nervous and holding his Mauser rifle with both his hands as if he is hunting a deer. It was Benny who came up to him and tap him on the shoulder. The poor lad looked as if he jumped out of his skin, turned and almost pushed the rifle into Benny's face.

"Hey! Hold on. It’s just me, Benny. I am to tell you that your knapsack is loose. Tighten it up or you would lose it soon." Benny pushed the rifle barrel away from him as Michael slowly comes to his senses on the situation. Michael apologizes for the reaction but for those of us who saw his reaction; we know he is scared. So are all of us, as this could be the turning point in our life as a soldier. The real war is coming and we are the ones fighting it.

"The river." Someone from the other platoon holler to us. We have reached the rendezvous point and from now we would march down south to Charleroi. The Sergeant split the platoon by giving each one the sides of the road. We got ours next to the river, and it’s was a nicer view when we walked along the edge of the canal. I spied the factories now abandoned by their owners on hearing of our arrival. I wondered what it would be like during peacetime; there would be people walking or bicycling on this road and the canal would be having barges shipping their wares back and forth. I have seen photographs of such a scene on the Rhine and I think it would be quite similar here. The sun is scorching on top of our heads and the extra loads on our back does not help at all.

"Gefreiter, watch those houses across the river. There could be snipers." I nodded to the Sergeant upon his advice. He had moved on ahead probably to warn the others. I looked at the open windows and building walls to see if there is anything unusual. I saw one window in which a lady was standing there looking at us. She was a young lady and she is probably curious at how we looked like. I waved to her but she did not wave back. It looked like she is talking to someone in the room behind her.

"She is pretty, huh?" Its Benny again and this time he walked beside me before speaking. I nodded at his statement. "Pity she is on the other side."

We both laughed.

It was not long when we got our first taste of battle. The shots came in front of us and hit one of the men from the other platoon.

"Sniper. Take cover." I shouted down the line as the second shot came. I crouched behind the canal river edge low walls and tried to back my whole body behind it. Some of us are shooting across the river on possible areas which they think the sniper could be hiding. The third shot came and the second man went down with a chest wound. I saw the bridge in front and I shouted out.

"Bridge. Twenty yards." I took off in a run towards it while fearing the sniper would get me next. But I made it with no shots at me. I crouched behind the low wall and crawl myself across the bridge. I had Benny and Dietrich for the company.

"I think I saw the sniper. The second house, upstairs window." Benny is pointing at the window.

I nodded and told Dietrich to follow me. I asked Benny to cover us from the bridge as we storm the house. He can join us when we are in the house. The house is alike any small townhouses with two levels of flooring. The bottom level would be the living area and kitchen, with maybe a small room for the study. Both of us stormed in by kicking down the door. I went in with my rifle head ready with both hands. I checked the living area and kitchen while Dietrich cover the stairs and the small room. I nodded all clear on the areas I checked. By then Benny had come in and I asked him to kick on the small room door.

"Clear." I nodded to Benny's confirmation. Now I would go upstairs, with Dietrich backing me up. I mounted the stairs as quiet as I could; peeking over the landing and see if my head would get blown off. So far I am lucky, as I stepped onto the upper level. I signaled to Dietrich to stand guard here as I checked the rooms. There are three rooms there and I checked every one of them. Whoever was here has left in a hurry as I could see the spent casings on the floor next to the window.

I saw the mannequin on the bed. It was the girl I was waving at. It was pretty but now it caused us a man down.

Peter Weiner, Hauptmann

"Push them forward" I would have used my whistle but its more personal to call the men to cross the canal by the bridges or locks to the other side, while the artillery is barraging the BEF across the canal. It was not my choice to charge but Oberst wants results. The cover on the narrow bridge is scant and the men are overcrowded on the narrow bridge. They represent good targets for the BEF who is picking them off like flies. I summoned the Sergeant and said to move the other squad down and upriver to find the other three bridges I was advised on the canal which we can use to cross.

“We must get across the river or we will be slaughtered.” I told the others. I looked over the wall and saw the British army from the BEF were well entrenched and they were armed with good rifleman.

“So the boast of their officers when we met before the war was true. The Enfield .303 is a powerful rifle in those men’s hands.” I saw then the Vicker' machine gun issued to the BEF was having a good time on my men, whereas our Maxim guns are still behind the lines yet to catch up.

“Where’s our guns?” The men with their heads down cursed at our gunners.

“Damn this rush into battle for the rights of winning the race to Paris.” I swore with the men on the march. Everyone knew that the next step may be their last but they swore to fight to their death. We stayed down in our dugouts for the day till the next dawn. It was early morning when the bombardment by our artilleries arrived but it did not dampen the enemies fighting morale. We knew that when we mounted our attack. The call to attack came in soon after the bombardment. We were led by officers who were several mile ways and does not see the real battle. Nevertheless, we went in with the packed formation to cross the bridge thinking that we can intimidate them, but we just presented ourselves as targets for the riflemen.

“Retreat!’ I called out. I then reorganized the company and send in a loose squad of two or three soldiers across when the opportunity presents itself. It was by chance of luck if you make it. For those who did not, they will adorn bridge-like discarded corpses. Those who do get through will find themselves entrenched behind any cover.

“Mutter fluct!” A veteran had sought cover over a dead soldier. He was then fired upon and had to use the body as cover. He cursed at the sniper for desecrating the dead body with the aimed shots.

”Schieße woanders hin, bastard.“ The veteran cursed out. That was the opportune time for me send more of my men across. They ran over and gave cover fire for the other squads. As we started to gain ground over the canal, we pressed on the attacks towards the British machine gun nest with our grenades.

“Mach ihnen die Hölle heiß!“ The men called out and tossed the grenades. We wiped ou the giun nest and the others were  en retreating. 

I pushed more to move in and took over the posts. We checked the machine guns and then shifted the captured guns on the retreating BEF. Soon, we were moving toward their flanks and that got them to pack up much faster on the retreat.

There was one great act by a soldier who I was not able to find the name then. He swam across the canal despite the heavy enemy fire and lowered the swing bridge that was hanging halfway. The swing bridge then joined up with the other end and more relief was sent over to the men across the canal.

“Move to cover!” I heard the NCO’s calling and motioned the men to find cover at the line of fir trees by the canal. It gave us fire cover and allowed us to move closer to the rear of the British. The real relief was when the pontoon bridges appeared and more of us were able to cross. Soon, we have gained control of the opposite side of the canal and the men previously under fire were raring to go to fight on. Their expression was of hatred for the BEF which has claimed their friend’s lives.

"Hauptmann. New orders just came in. We are to hold the position and await the rest to regroup." I looked at the Major who told us that order.

“We got them on the run.”

"It’s order and you would obey. " I nodded to the order and told my men to dig into the entrenchment left by the British. I was greeted with curses and mutterings of mutiny but the men soon took to their new task.

"Herr Hauptmann, why are we digging in, we got them on the run." I looked at the The sergeant asked me and smiled.

"I don't have any pips to say we can go forward. Mine says we stop here and we do as we are told. Attend to the wounded and set the Medic Tent on the safer side of the canal. I don't want to lose my doctors on the counter-attack." I took down my helmet and rubbed my hair. It was all wet from the sweat and smelled worse. I was tempted to go to the canal and dunked my head in, but I decided otherwise.

"Herr Hauptmann, I shot two men trying to desert their positions. New recruits. Should I put it in a report for you?" I did not bother to look at the Sergeant this time.

"Just add it to the KIA list. At least they get some respectable letters back home."

Abel Lenger, Surgeon

I took out my apron and looked at the next cot. The soldier had been lying there for over an hour and no one is attending to him. All my six medical orderlies are engaged in some works or another, and my fellow doctors are busy saving some life. I walked up the cot and looked at the injured man. He has got a bullet in his right shoulder and another on his left shin. Both bullets had gone straight through him and he is just bleeding from the wounds. He is still awake and puffing a cigarette in the mouth.

"Nurse, what is his prep status?" I stopped the nurse who is in charge of the area.

"He is a deserter. So the Sergeant said to do him last. Or better let him die." She just went back to her works on the tray. I had seen her works before; she is good but she is a military person first and nurses second. The injured man looked at me and smiled.

"Let me die in peace. I am not fighting a war against my own kind." I had seen his kind before. They called themselves pacifist but some were cowards in the face of the battle.

“Indeed.” I then walked over to the nurse tray and took what I needed. I walked back to the injured man and said to him.

"You can die but not on my watch. More to it, I want you to see what your other kind can do to ours when in war. So shut up and prepare to live." I slapped the chloroform over his nose and watched him writhed before falling unconscious. I took out the needed tools to stem his blood flow and bandaged him up.

“Do the sutures. I am moving on.” I told the nurse and then looked at my other patients. While I was doing my medical works, the nurse told me the sutures are in. I shouted at the orderlies to remove the deserter to the recovery section. I turned my back to see the nurse standing there and looking at me.

"Next time Herr Doctor, ask me before you touched my trays.” I glared at the nurse who told me off. I may be the Surgeon there but the nurses commanded the area.

“There is a Major in need of your skill in the other cot. He is shot close to the heart. See if you can perform any miracles there." The nurse was sarcastic in her statement.

“Only God can perform miracles. I do what is deemed within my ability.” I stepped to the bad where the Major was laid. He was a bad case but the bullet did not pierce his heart. It was just below the shoulder and I patched him up.

“Send the Major back home to Berlin,” I told the nurse. “He’s done with the war.”

It was late night when I stepped out of the medical tent. I walked up to the canal and looked at the shimmering water reflection. I could see a vague figure of myself standing by the wall.

"Taking a break or contemplating how life can be so cheap in war?" I looked at the person who spoke.

It was the Oberst and he was smoking his cigar. I saluted the senior officer although I tried not to look down at him from my height it's unavoidable as he was shorter. I remembered his question and was to answer him when he continues on.

"You are responsible for the few on your list, but I am for the whole company. Today, I lost fifty-five men and another thirty-three wounded plus ten missing in action, presumably deserting their position. So how many did you lose?"

"Three, Herr Oberst. They were the fatal ones." The senior officer smiled and took a puff on his cigar.

"You would get used to it soon enough. And thank you for saving the Major. He is a good friend of General Von Kluck and it would be seen that the report mentioned your name as the doctor who saved him." He just threw the half-smoked cigar into the canal. Bloody waste of good cigar but I heard the man can afford such luxuries. I decline politely but the Oberst replied casually.

"During a war, we stand to gain more from such heroic acts. So don't be fussy when someone pins a medal on your chest. It’s good for the family name and does good fireplace topics. Today, I am proud to say that we won but tomorrow we don’t know. One could lose or end up dead or worse sent to the Eastern Front. There its hell compared to here." He completed his words and he is moving on with his way.

I watched as the officer walked away. He was a fine officer but I was told he was also a glory hunter. He may sound good on the outside, but he won't hesitate to throw anyone to the lions when the need arises. In today's case, it’s the British Lions he threw us against.

Erich Kroner, Oberst

I needed to thank my lucky stars that High Command overlooked the early part of the war when I ordered the men to marched over the bridge in such thick columns. How was I to know that the heavy bombardment did little damage to the enemy defenses? I was relieved Hauptmann re-organized the lines and got the crossing done correctly. Of course, the report would not reflect that but my sudden change of orders saved the men from the British fire. Hauptmann Weiner would not get to see my report anyway.

Major Keister would not be reporting to the General as he was on his way back to Berlin in the ambulance wagon. I walked back to my Command Post tent and was greeted by the presence of a fine brown horse. I can only guess who that would be at this late hour.

I entered my tent to find Oberst-lieutenant  Luther Von Mathis who was smoking my cigar and sitting at the seat opposite my desk. The junior officer to mine is a descendant of some noble families and he made no qualms to showcase his influence to us. He was taller than me and wore a fitting uniform; probably tailor-made in Berlin.

"Herr Oberst, I am glad to see you back here. You do have nice cigars." The Oberst-lieutenant  was also a protégé of the General and hence his lack of courtesy for the other officers, even one who was higher in rank to him. I was told he only saluted the ones with ranks of General and above. I can't say I fault him as I would have done the same too if I held such influences. I ignored him and took my rightful seat.

"Herr Oberst, General Von Kluck" I note the way he clicked on the name 'Von' to denote the difference in the designation of names to mine, "He wants your company to take the lead tomorrow. He is pulling the first Company to the rear as reserve. Your orders are to march at dawn for Fournaux and rout the defenders."

I smiled at the new orders as it means more credits to my name if I win. Or die in honor.

"Oberst, the General would like to see a more refined strategy for the deployment of men. He hates to lose good men to silly commands of clustering them together. If it’s me. I would have shot the officers who did that. So please advised your officers on the proper strategy to use." The Oberst-lieutenant got up from his seat and walked out of my tent.

I heard him galloping off to the safety of his line at the flank. He was one of the few officers assigned a horse.

I took up the box of cigar and threw it outside of my tent. The bastard mocks me with his statements. I would get even one day and his hide would be mine to tan on the ground.