Many of us fell dead,
others wounded, but I had the chance to run away.
I now took the road to Tirlemont, marching all the time among German
camps. Once I was arrested. Again they wanted to shoot me, insisting
that I was a student of the University of Louvain. The Germans pretend
it was the student who had caused the population in Louvain to shoot at
them. However, my youth saved me, and I was set at liberty.
I arrived in this way, making small marches, sleeping under the stars,
at a small village, St. Pierre Rhode, six miles from Aerschot. This
village had not been occupied by the Germans. A benevolent farmer took
me in, and I lived there peacefully until Wednesday, Sept. 9. On that
day the Germans arrived. They took us all with them and we had to march
in front of them to prevent the Belgians from shooting. After one hour
they gave us our liberty.
The Belgians had now retaken Aerschot. I returned there as quickly as I
could. Only a few houses were still burning. It was Sept. 10. I left
again in the afternoon at 4 o'clock, taking a train, together with the
railway officials, and arrived at 6 P.M. in Antwerp, where I now stay
without any resources.
All my money, the 20 francs which you presented me and my salary for
five weeks, as well as my little savings, are lying in Brussels, and I
cannot get at them. I cannot work, because there is no work to be got.
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