...On August 1st, 1914, German troops were primed to attack, but as the Kaiser attempted to secure Britain’s neutrality in the upcoming conflict, the order to advance was delayed for a few hours.
...Unfortunately, it appears that no one had told the soldiers of the German 69th Infantry Regiment.
...A Luxembourgish gendarme, arriving at the scene, protested to the commanding officer that he had invaded neutral territory. The German officer apparently responded by stating: ‘We know. We have already taken your capital, and if you say another word, you will be shot.’
Tyckte jag var en lite lustig episod i vad som sedermera vart mindre lustigt.The 69th Infantry Regiment’s embarrassing mistake was soon revealed to them when a message from Germany arrived informing them of the delay.
By around 8.30, the troops had returned back over the border. Germany’s first action of the First World War had thus concluded with a whimper.
The Accidental Invasion: Luxembourg’s little-known role in the outbreak of World War I
MVH
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