TIIE SUNDAY OREGOXIAN, PORTLAND, JULY 21, 1918.
IN AND OUT OF RUSSIA WITH BELGIAN "FLYING SQUADRON
Armored Car Detail of 350, Which Went in at Archangel in 1915 and Came Out at Vladivostok in
1918, Arrives in America, Bringing Story of Revolution and the Withdrawal of the Muscovite Army
8
FIGHTING their way through the whole of Russia, from the
Spring of 1915 to the Spring of 1918; mingled with the
army of General Brussilof f in the Galician campaign, where they
battled side by side with the brave feminine "Battalion of
Death"; caught in the vortex of the Russian revolution and
betrayed by the Bolsheviki because they chanced to be located
in the heart of Ukrainia ; driving eventually clear across Siberia
until they came to the shelter of the Chinese flag, remnants of
a brave band of 350 Belgians, composing an armed motorcar
squadron, have arrived finally in America with their story of
wrecked Russia and of their harrowing experiences.
Because the style of fighting on the western f rtjnt prevented
the use of their unit in trench warfare and artillery dueling, the
Belgian motorists were sent to Russia early in the war. Landing
in Archangel, they were transferred to the southwestern Rus
sian arena, and there took part in the big Russian offensive of
1916, when the Russians were forced back between Brzezany
and Brody, as well as in the offensive led by Kerensky in 1917.
In the cataclysmic events that followed they were buffeted about
in the hands of the revolutionists and only escaped by resorting
to the display of Belgian bravery an appeal based on their
choice of bullets instead of gold, proffered them by Germany.
In their campaign the Belgians had an opportunity to behold
the spectacle of Russia fighting without weapons of warfare
unable to express herself in the early days of the war because
of the lack of military resources. The Russians then followed
the Belgian armored cars in many memorable engagements and
found inspiration in the indomitable spirit of the Belgians.
Later on, these same Belgians beheld the pitiable spectacle of
10,000,000 Russians, demobilized at the command of the Bol-sheviki-controlled
Soviet, laying down their arms to accept the
false peace of the mailed fist of Germany.
The Belgians now wer.e in a dilemma. They had been fight
ing in Ukrainia. There they beheld the massacre of Poles and
Ukrainians by the power-mad Bolsheviki. In turn, the Belgians
'had to endure the ill-will of the Bolsheviki, who accused them
of partisanship with the Ukrainians. The story of their retreat
through Siberia, of the German prisoners there in control and
their fight to Harbin and escape finally to the United States by
way of Vladivostok is here related by Maurice Rogez, one of the
Belgian band.
Only recently these Belgians arrived in San Francisco and
were tendered a wonderful reception. Lately they have been
in New York. Now they are returning to their native country
to battle again for the freedom of their nation from Prussian
domination. And they go forward eager to join forces with
the Americans, who have come into the great war since these
remnant's of King Albert's gallant army first opposed the Hun
at Liege and Namur.
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"lgian Dispatch Bearer on Bicycle Returning From Front Line Reconnaissance,
BY MAtTRICE ROGEZ. J
Membar of the Belgian Armors Car
Squadron.
RIDING In armored motorcars
across the length and breadth cl
Russia, fighting for Russian lib
erty until our guns were taken from
us In th shameless demobilisation of
the Bolsheviki, escaping finally by way
of Siberia Into China, 350 of my fellow
countrymen I a member of the party
have come now to the United States.
Unable to fight longer for Russia, we
are bound back to Belgium to take our
stand once more beside our brave
brothers for the redemption of our Bel
gium and the triumph of the allies.
In at Archangel to the far north,
fighting for long, deep down In the
southwestern arena of Russia in the
Ukrainian district -and out again
across the Ural mountains into the cold
snows and dreary exiles. of Siberia, we
have seen Russia In all its parts. From
the brave beginning under Kerensky
until the pitiful ending under the
Trotzky-Lenine administration we have
seen the rise and fall of the Russian
republic Ten million men who might
have fought on under the banners of
the allies have been taken out of the
great war all because of the socialis
tic overthrow directed by a few men
in the interests of one class rather than
the interests of humanity.
If Russia had remained in the war
who knows? Maybe it would have been
over now. Surely Germany never
would have been able to have launched
her Spring offensive this year because
of the millions of men she would have
had to keep on the eastern front. Will
Russia get in again? I do not know.
Who can. tell?
Sent Into Russia.
There were 350 of us a sprightly
organization, well trained, nicely
equipped with the armored motorcars
that came into the war early in the
first year. At the end of 1915 it was
deemed expedient to send us into Rus
sia, first of all, it was expected that
the appearance of a squadron of, Bel
gians with the story of their wronged
country would make a favorable im
pression on the Russians and enkindle
the spirit of brotherhood between the
allies of the east and the allies of the
west. In the second place, our armored
cars were not so effective and not so
much needed on the western front,
where the warfare had resolved itself
into intensive artillerying and trench
fighting.
King Albert bade us farewell and we
departed from our own dear native
land then writhing under the hand of
the invading oppressor. By ship we
proceeded to Archangel in the far
north and there prepared for our ac
tive participation in the Russian cam
paign. Then for 28 months we saw
active service in Eastern Galicia under
the command of General Brussiloff.
Here we participated in all the stirring
battles that were part of the early
drive against the Germans and still
later in the collapse of these same
armies before Hun guns and subtle
propaganda. Here took place the huge
offensive of 1916. which drove back the
enemy's front between Brzezany and
Brody. Here also took place the great
offensive led by Kerensky in 1917. Here
also the terrible disaster the collapse
of the gigantic movement involving
millions of men.
The armored car constitutes a weap
on of redoubtable efficiency. Always
in the front ranks our cars spurred the
Russians in their attacks. Very often
in tne lace or a German attack our cars,
coming up suddenly with quick-firing
guns in action, rallied the panlc-strick
en Russians and led them to a glorious
victory. Our cars were constantly In
the thick of the fighting. At Zborow,
in iit, arter tne .Russians had can
tured the town three Belgian armored
cars held it almost alone against the
attacking Huns. Russian soldiers in
the front line trenches outside the town
were wavering before the terrific bar
rage laid down by the enemy. . It
seemed they were about to break and
run. Up oame our cars. The dreadful
fire of our machine guns swept the
steppe; the thin grayish line of the ad
vancing line wavered, halted and fin
ally fled panic-stricken. It was a glori
ous sight to behold what followed. The
Russians, "overjoyed, rushed from their
trenches and embraced the Belgians,
caressing the motorcars in their glee.
Always the armored car was a rally.
ing point. Its appearance galvanised
the Russians and held them firm. At
Konlukhi,. in July, 1917, one of our
cars rushed forward under the direc
tion of Constance-Marin, the famous
Belgian wrestler, to determine the
cause for a sudden slack in the
Russian attack. Soon it was in the
midst of the fighting. Right up. to
the barbed wire of the enemy ad
vanced this lone brave car. A shell
smashed part of her. Steel bullets
pierce it, killing many of the crew
Including the chauffeur. But the re
laainder kept on working the guns un
til compelled to fall back before the
superior att-ck. The Russians had
implicit confidence in the Belgian cars
they' desired the Inspiration of their
leadership for any great attack.
In this same fighting at Koniukhl in
1917 delegates sent by the soldiers ap
pealed to the Belgians the very first
day of Kerensky's offensive. "The
Belgian officers showed the Russians
the bad state of the roads, transformed
Into marshes by the rains; neverthe
less the Russians insisted that the
Belgians "try" anyway. "If our sol
diers see you on the roads," they said
"they will go forward and they will
follow you to the last. Come, show
yourselves, and the day will be ours.
Soon came the collapse. All the
bravery of the Belgians could avail
nothing. It was .pitiful to see them
falling back after their wonderful
fighting. They had not the faoilitie
with which to carry on the war,
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Belgian Armored Car Behind the Russian Line Waiting the
Order to Go Into Action.
Russian officer, asking that our
squadron go forward on a particular
reconnaissance, said: "I am asking you
to get this information for us. "It is
information that we can get only from
air scouts, but we have no airplanes
left, and you are the only ones to ful
fill the undertaking." I
Bravery of No Avail.
The bravery of the Belgians got to
e useless. The armored cars re
mained on the field alone and found
no followers. The rout became gen-
raL Nothing could check it. From
our position at the front we were
not able to judge all that was going
on in Petrograd after Kerensky had
been deposed and the Soviets were
working with Trotsky and Lenine.
What we saw at the front was the
huge Russian army slowly falling
back, slowly disintegrating, their mor
ale gone. All our words and deeds
were in vain. Instead now of leading
the attack we were busy covering the
retreat and preventing the wholesale
capture of our allies by the Austro
Hun armies.
Repeatedly the Russian high com
mand called upon us for help. With
British armored cars we covered the
Russian retreat in July a year ago.
The Russian Sixth Army Corps, to
which the Belgian squadron belonged,
was thrown off its normal line of re
treat and fell further south in the
worst possible disorder. The corps
staff and various units were com
pletely separated. The regiments all
intermingled hurried away desper
ately, anywhere, everywhere, without
the least semblance of military or
ganisation. You have seen pictures
of it, you have heard the story; they
have not been overdrawn. Along the
roads, obstructed by piled-up aban
doned - goods, strewed with arms, am
munition, guns and materials of all
kinds, horses killed in the collisions
of the rout, one met officers pale and
dejected, their clothes all torn. one
man would be asking another, "Do
you know where I can find so-and-so
regiment?" or, "I am chier or tne stan
of so-and-so division could you tell
me where I could find it? I have been
lostrfor two days."
In this terrible catastrophe the Bel
gian cars stood valiantly by their
panic-stricken allies. It was their mis
sion to halt the enemy as he came up
fast. Intent on cutting off and cap
turing the retreating Russians. At
one time, for a continuous period oi
11 days, we remained constantly in ac
tion. hurrying from point to point, cov
ering up the retreat, seeking to rally
the flying divisions. But It was no use.
By tire thousands the Russians were
laying down their arms in response
to the order issued by the soviet the
prikaze" calling upon 10,000.000 men
to abandon their arms.
An Army Led Astray.
Discipline was at an end. The Rus
sians were told they no longer need
obey their officers. They were just
to decide for themselves what they
were to do. In just a few weeks the
potential Russian army became a dls
organized rabble. Thousands of Ger
mans who had been opposing the Rus
sians on the eastern front were hnr
ried away to be launched against our
brothers and allies on the west. No
pen can picture the transition in Rus
sia. Worst of all was the fact that
these Russians could fight if they
wanted to. Now they were content
to listen to the worlds of their Socialist
leaders to throw away their arms and
dream about- the new possessions and
new power they expected to get.
In vain the Belgians awaited for I
reawakening of their Russian com
patriots. See what " happened to us
then! At Kief, where the Belgian
contingent arrived in January. 1917
the Ukrainian government refused to
permit our railroad material to pass
into Bolshevik territory. Soon the
towns was surrounded by Mouravleff
hordes. The St. Michael monastery
where we were quartered became the
storm center of the attack between
the Russian forces. Bomb aad shells
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exploded In the courtyard; "rafales"'
of bullets whistled in the garden. The
casualties were heavy among the
civilian population. In a single day
the monastery changed hands seven
times. All the while the Belgians wer
helpless. Finally after a fortnight of
fighting the Bolsheviki mastered the
town.
Now the plight of the Belgians be
came worse. Their presence In Kleff
ogether with the Ukrainians was in
erpreted as an act of hostility by
the Bolsheviki leaders. General Mou
ravleff said to our leader: "Belgians
have been fighting with the Ukrain
ians (we had not). Tour cars have
been in action. Tour trucks have
been used for the transport of Ukrain
ian troops and for revlctualing pur
poses. One of your officers wearing
the Russian uniform has been taken
prisoner."
The Belgian commander denied all
these accusations. He stoutly main
tained that we had remained neutral
through all the fighting and urged a
court of inquiry. These explanations
finally seemed to satisfy General
Mouravleff and he countermanded
Krllenko's order to detain us. But
added: "The Belgians are safe, but
they must be prevented from going
out of town for three days, for there
is going to be a regime of terror.
Afterward you will be permitted to
leave."
The terror . . . ! This word was
on all lips. Many Ukrainian and
Polish officers were in the town. They
knew their fate, as the Bolsheviki
previously had shown no pity. In
Finland, in Sebastopol, they had pro-
ceded to a general slaughter of offi
cers. But the Russian carries fatalism
until it becomes paradoxical.
In the Rada the Bolsheviki found full
lists of residing officers, and soon the
patrols were spread throughout town
to carry out Justice." Justice . . .
it was nothing but death. The majority
of these officers, trapped in their lodg
ings, never defended themselves. They
were killed on the spot. Sometimes
they were dragged from the houses and
hurried executions took place before
the front doors. The murderers
searched the bodies while yet warm and
robbed them of all valuables, clothes
and boots. The poor "bourgeois" were
butchered without mercy. Because they
wore decent clothing was sufficient
pretext for killing them. Always the
same ... death.
In front of the Governor's Palace
there was a large open square. There
hundreds of officers were shot. Corpses
were tnrown over the parapet of the
Dnieper bridge. They fell on the sands
below, many of them, and never were
burled. For days the city reverberated
with the shots of the firing squads.
continuously automobiles loaded with
corpses ran to and fro In the streets.
leaving behind them a trail of blood.
Panic was everywhere. Armed guards
went about, taking their toll in lives.
Finally the visions of horror ceased and
conditions became normal again after
the reign of terror had run its course.
It was February II, however, before
our Belgian train was permitted to
leave. Famine reigned all over the
country. Well we knew that the pro
vitaons we obtained at our start on the
long trip to Vladivostok would be all
the food we would have for the jour
ney. It took us nearly two months to
make the trip to Vladlstok. and then
we arrived only after the most tem
pestuous journey, beset with perils all
along the way. At Vologda on Febru
ary 1 we had met the American and
Japanese missions en route to Petro
grad. The Trip Across Siberia.
Through the immerse snowy steppes
of Siberia, where for many weary
miles not a soul was to be found, our
train moved at last the last train
from the "civilization" of Russia bound
for the Far East. At every station the
RuBslan soldiers glowered at us. The
sight of an organized party seemed to
anger them. Some of the Russians
wanted to take the train and get out
of Russia. They were prevented. Some
it -w-i-tsr
Maurice Rogez, One of the Bel
' gian Armored Car Squadron,
Who Tells This Story of
His Experiences. .
argued: "These are our cars." They
flung all manner of questions at us.
"Who helped you in Galicia?" "For
whom did the Belgian boys die?"
"What about your wheat?" "Who pro
tected you when there was no more
The Only Street in Oloviannaya, the Last Siberian Town Where the Belgians Were Detained.
Soviet was touched by the appeal and
consented to our departure.
But we encountered the same thing
now virtually everywhere we stopped.
On March 22. when we arrived at
Tchlta, the Soviet, after giving the
order to permit us to proceed, rescind
ed, it. The Bolsheviki ordered a thor
ough search of the train, intent upon
the capture of arms and ammunition.
hope left for you?" Tou are wearing Finding nothing (we had been cont
our clothes. We want peace, and
there you go with our clothes on to
fight on the French front." All dis
order, all chaos, all suspicion.
Throughout Siberia we ran counter
Of the many German prisoners. The
number increased as we continued on
our way eastward. They circulated
freely and seemed not at all like pris
oners of war. Some were engaged in
business; others, musicians, were play
ing in the "tchinaya." They had even
their own newspapers printed in Ger
man. These were all couched in the
Socialistic arguments and praised
highly the overthrow of the rulers and
the leaders in favor of the workers.
Everywhere we found evidences of the
Germans heading the propaganda that
was unsettling the Russians and mak
ing the country ripe for German in
tervention. In Omsk our train was stopped and
the Bolsheviki demanded the complete
disarmament of our motorcars. They
were inclined to hold us indefinitely,
regardless of armaments. Our officers
were summoned before the Soviet of
Omsk. A series of conferences fol
lowed. The Soviet was unrelenting in
its ppsttlon, and our men had about
resolved to make them fight for our
armaments. We had about decided to
take charge of the train and run it
through to Vladivostok by sheer vio
lence. Finally, in an Impassioned ap
peal before the Soviet, one of our men.
a Russian interpreter, won them over
With his speech.
They Vow to Break Through.
"When in 1114," he began, "that
giant Germany came to little Belgium,
she offered both hands to her 'friend.'
In one hand were gold ingots, in the
other lead bullets. In one hand gold,
but dishonor; in the other virtue and
heroism, but death. What did Belgium
choose? The lead bullets " The
speech went on la that way until the
pelled by this time to leave our cars
and guns behind us) the train went
forward again. In Oloviannaya the
Soviet sent delegates for a further
inspection of our train, and after an
other tedious delay we satisfied them
and were permitted to leave.
Now our train arrived at the Gobi
Desert, about 200 miles from the Chi
nese border. It was our purpose now
to get into China and beyond the sur
veillance of the Russian Soviets. Here
our-resolve was taken the firm deter
mination to break through at all costs.
The Russians were strongly inclined
to prevent our departure and were of
a unit on this point until our inter
preter provoked a dissension between
them by his eloquent arguments. So
well did he succeed that the Russians
sent one of their number ' back to
Tchita for instructions. All this time
we were detained under close watch.
Back to Belgian to Fight.
It so happened that in the absence
of the envoy our Interpreter and the
leader of the Russians discovered they
had been students at Liege University.
That gave common bond of sym
pathy between them that greatly aided
our cause. In consequence, one of
our officers, the interpreter and the
Russian commissary left for the Chi
nese frontier on a locomotive under the
white flag. To our great Joy next
day a train was sent out by the Chi
nese government and ae were per
mitted to go forward to the shelter
of the Chinese flag. On- the night of
March 2 we passed over the Chinese
border our troubles, for the most
part, at an end. The next day we got
to Harbin, and three weeks later left
for Vladivostok, and thence to San
Francisco.
Now we are going back to Belgium
to fight with our fellow-countrymen
again. Russia is out of the war-
maybe for good but America has i shall be well repaid for all the diffl4
come in and we will win, and Belgium I culties and hardships we suffered lit
will come Again into her own. We our three years in Russia.
Face Powder Box Is Made of
Rifle Cartridge.'
Milady Koif Fills Inside of Shell
With Face Powder.
A
NEW motor veil has chiffon along
both edges and a central strip of
dotted mesh veiling. When the veil is
thrown over a small hat, the mesh pat
tern covers the front of the hat and
comes part way down the face, reveal
ing the eyes, while the border of chif
fon disguises the contour of nose,
mouth and chin. This gives the mys
terious. Oriental suggestion that makes
any veil so fascinating, and at the back
the veil is specially graceful, the chif
fon and veiling ends floating airily
about the shoulders.
The very newest conceit In vanity
belongings is a face powder box In the
shape of a cartridge. The little cart
ridge with Its ammunition of face pow
der may be tucked Into a glove or car
ried in a coat pocket. The pointed top
of the shell comes off and enough
powder to take the shine from milady's
nose may be sprinkled on a handker
chief or a bit of chamois skin.
Cretonne frocks are ever so smart,
and as some wag says: pretty girls
must be careful this Summer when
they sit reading on public verandas,
not to be taken for chairs. The cre
tonne dresses are piped in plain color
and are made, like most of the gingham
and calico models, with tucked skirts
and surplice waists that tie in the back
In crisp sashends. Frilled net -fichus
and cuffs that show the flowered cre
tonne pattern through are charming
with these gay. Summery frocks.
e
The vogue of navy blue increases
rather than diminishes as the Summer
draws to its height. There are navy
blue tailored suits, navy blue cape
coats, navy blue georgette hats and
frocks of silk, chiffon, georgette, mo
hair, poplin, and other fabrics, some
of them all blue, others in cool com-'
blnations of navy and white. And
there are white frocks and blouses
stitched and embroidered in navy blue.
Navy blue sweaters of llama and Shet
land cost up to $50, proving the ex
cluslveness of these dark blue sport
coats for late Summer and Fall wear.
'preen Is Peculiar.
Woman's Home Companion.
The sailor lad has a vocabulary quite)
his own. by the way. Recruits are "re
grets"; later, as common seaman, they,
are "gobs." Food Is "chow," and ketch
up is "red lead." "Binnacle list" means
the sick list. The guardhouse is called
a "brig." Instead of reveille, he says
"rise and shine." and when he tires
of noise, he calls out "pipe down.".
"Leave" for the Army Is "liberty" for
the Navy. Two cats they have named
Pay Day and Extra Duty. It is not
hard to guess which of the two felines
l more popular.
LEMON JUICE
TAKES OFF TAN
Girls! Make bleaching lotion
if skin is sunburned,
tanned or freckled
Squeese the juice of two lemons Into
a bottle containing three ounces of
Orchard White, shake well, and you
have a quarter pint of the best freckle,
sunburn and tan lotion and complexion
beautifier at very, very small cost.
Your grocer has the lemons and any
drug store or toilet counter will supply
three ounces of Orcnard White for a,
few cents. Massage this sweetly frag
rant lotion into the face, neck, arms
and hands each day and see how freo
kles, sunburn, wlndburn and tan dlsap
pear and how clear, soft and white th
tkia become. Xol It is harmless AAv,