Present:
President of the Military Court, SCHWEINITZ.
Secretary to the Military Court, LIPS.
Quarters of Infantry Regiment No. 178 at VARISCOURT,
_March 3rd, 1915_.
In the inquiry concerning the events in Dinant there appeared as
witness Lieutenant Koch, who stated:
As to Person: My name is Friedrich Bruno Koch. I am 47 years old;
Protestant; Lieutenant-Colonel, Infantry Regiment No. 178.
As to Case: I led the 2nd Battalion, Infantry Regiment No. 178, on
August 23, 1914. First of all, in the morning, I had to deal with
the franc-tireur firing in the Leffe valley at "La Papeterie." As
the battalion was continually being fired on there from the houses,
I gave the order, on higher authority, to clear the houses. I was
then detailed to take over the leadership in the fighting at Leffe.
There I saw very many dead civilians lying all along the road and
also especially in an open space in Leffe itself. At nightfall after
the occupation of the place I had to secure the section towards the
Meuse--it was reported to me that my left-wing post was being attacked
by francs-tireurs. I snatched together a number of men, led them
personally to the scene of the fighting, and instituted measures for
clearing the place. By my orders reinforcements arrived, and I gave
over to 1st Lieutenant Wilke the further work of clearing the place.
During this work we were continuously and heavily fired on by civilians
without any military badge or uniform. Consequently, in this affair
also, very many men who were caught with weapons in their hands were
shot.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: KOCH.
Witness was thereupon sworn.
Signed: SCHWEINITZ. Signed: LIPS.