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Battle of Lebbeke

Extraordinary early WWI footage of Belgian army delaying the German advance - aided by bicycles, armoured cars and machine-gun pulling dogs.

Documentary 1914 5 mins Silent

Overview

These scenes illustrate the efforts and sacrifices of the Belgian Army in the first months of WWI, massively outnumbered and soon overpowered by German forces. The march past the camera, the proud presentation of an early armoured car, and the shot of artillery among the potato fields might seem relaxed, but the footage of monks loading the ambulance car brings home the impact of war.