Figure 1.-- Although Belgians along the border had little opportunity fo flee, the effective resistance of the small Belgian Army and the quick reaction of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) bought most Belgians time to flee the advancing Germans. Some were able to flee by rail. Most were on their own. Few Belgians had cars, so they fled on foot. The farm population had horses which could pull waggons. Most people simply fled on foot, grabbing anything with wheels. They utilizing a range of wheeled conveyances such as wheel barrows and baby carriages. Most just gattered up a few valuables and essentials and took to the roads. Most headed south to France. Familis with small children had real problems. This baby looks well protected, but we wonder how long the man will have the strength to move the wheel barrow.

The feared German invasion launched World War I. German troops crossed the border (August 4, 1914). Large numbers of Belgian civilians fled the advancing German armies. Fear of an invading army was part of the reason for flow of refugees. The Grman Army at the onset did not have the reputation they woukld aquire, the fear was just that of a foreign army. The World War I German Army advanced on foot with horse-drawn carts and artillery. The Gernans relieved heavily on rail transport, but before they controlled the country and at the front they were on foot. This meant that except for the Belgians living near the border, there was time to flee. And unlike World War II, the refugees were moving basically at the same rate as the advancing German soldiers. As word of the behavior of German troops and terrible atrocities spread, fear of the Germans spread and more Belgians began abandoning their homes, both villages and towns. Although Belgians along the border had little opportunity fo flee, the effective resistance of the small Belgian Army and the quick reaction of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) bought most Belgians time to flee the advancing Germans. Some were able to flee by rail. Most were on their own. Few Belgians had cars, so they fled on foot. The farm population had horses which could pull waggons. Most people simply fled on foot, grabbing anything with wheels. They utilizing a range of wheeled conveyances such as wheel barrows and baby carriages. Most just gattered up a few valuables and essentials and took to the roads. Most headed south to France. Some headed north to the Netherlands. Some in the ports were able to get aboard boats to Britain. This all occurred in August, by the end of the month the Germans controlled most of Belgium and were posed to cross the Marne in northern France and seize Paris. While The area of Belgian control rapidly shrank, the Belgian Army managed to hold a small corner of the country throughout the War. The BBelguan Army, hiwever, was cut off from their country. Many of the major battles of the War woukd be fought in occuoied Belgium.

Created: 10:25 AM 6/18/2024
Last updated: 10:25 AM 6/18/2024