Page 73 of 120

Continued from page 72

Testimony of: Lt. William J. Cowling, 0-528192, Division Headquarters, ADC, 42nd Division.

Taken at: Kitzbuhel, Austria.

Date: 15 May 1945 By: Lt. Col. J. M. Whitaker, IGD,

Asst. Inspector General, Seventh Army.

The witness was sworn.

558 Q Please state your name, rank, serial number and organization.

A Lt. William J. Cowling, 0-528192, Division Headquarters, ADC, 42nd Division.

(The witness was advised of his rights under the 24th Article of War.)

559 Q Do you remember the taking of the Dachau Concentration Camp?

A Yes, sir, I do.

560 Q Were you with General Linden?

A Yes, sir.

561 Q After the entrance of General Linden and his party I believe some shooting occurred in the vicinity of the guard tower located to the left of the stockade entrance, that is, to the left as you approached the entrance?

A That is correct, sir.

562 Q What occurred at this tower as far as you observed?

A I was quite a way back and could not see too much, but from the impression of the noise and what I could see a group of men from our division were going down the walk between the fence and the moat. A second had been sent around to the left to come in toward the tower from that direction. At that time I was behind the group going down along the moat. Some firing commenced down in the vicinity of the tower. I believe, but am not certain, that some of that firing was coming from the Germans in the tower shooting at the inmates who were scaling the tower and scaling the fence to get out. Some of the bullets struck in the water in the moat. At that time some of the men advancing along the moat fired in the direction of the tower. I was several yards behind the men and could not see the entire picture. There was also considerable firing down on the left flank.

563 Q How close were you to the tower when the prisoners were taken from the tower?

A I would say I was probably 20 or 30 yards past the main gate along the walk.