Evening star., 1914-10-03
EyeWitnesses Present Liqht-
er Side of Fighting in France
in Vivid Manner.
GERMANS WITHOUT SLEEP
AS LONG MARCHES GO ON
Some Companies and Regiments Cut
in Half, Papers on Pris-
oners Show.

LONDON. October 3, 1850 p.m.-The
official information bureau today is
sued a brief account of some Of the
lighter incidents of the fighting in
France, to which it appends certain
letters taken from German prisoners.
This recital, which is from an eyewit-
ness, but which bears no date, is. in
part, as follows:
I'm the presentation of striking con-
trasts, this war is no exception to the
rule. Within sight of the spot where
these words are being written the
chauffeur Of a motor car. attached to
the general staff, is making his toilet
in the open. After washing his face
and hands in a saucepan, minus its
empty gasoline can, he carefully
brush, using the window of the car in
which he slept as a looking glass.
From the backward sweep he gives his
somewhat long locks, and, judging by
his well made and clean shoes, it is
clear that he had once been a dandy,
in spite of his khaki service jacket
and trousers. He is. in fact, a former
public school boy. who has enlisted for
the war to do his bit for his coun-
try. and right useful part he is play
ing"
A letter from a German prisoner re-
cites how the enemy interrupted their
needed rest after the Germans had
reached a certain village, and how
when the Germans attempted to ad-
vance September 16 the enemy, firing
their trenches. This letter continues
All the Officers Killed.
"on my right and left wounded COM
rades were complaining bitterly that
the enemy were shooting from houses
Ihey found too easy a mark in US. II
we assumed an upright position we
were Immediately fred on. Soon the
enemys bullets begin to get us from
the right, and after about one hour,
during which time our company lost
ABOUT 70 men, we were forced to re-
tire. This brought our total strength
down to so. We started with PSI men.
We had no officers left
On the 18th. at 4:30 in the morning,
we reached a village, where we
thought We would be able to rest Be
fore half an hour passed, however, the
shrapnel had again found us out. We
spent the afternoon in this village,
were continually under shell fire in
spite of the fact that our guns were
Smelling the enemy's artillery. We
heard our colonel say that our guns
satisfactorily because the latter were
so well concealed.
Our condition is now really awful,
for we have to sleep out in all weather.
We were all looking forward to a
speedy end. We are very badly off as
regards food. Some of our regiments
can muster only from three to four
companies"
Another letter written during the re-
treat In front of the French from Mont
mirail says:
March Thirty-Six Hours.
after a thirty -six-hour march we
had rest. and arrived just in time for
the fight. For three days we did not
have hot meal. because our field kit
chens were lost. We got hot meal
yesterday evening. Although we are
all just ready to drop we must march
on.
I'VE found great quantities of food.
but, fearing poison, we did not take
possession of it until we had got hold
OF the proprietor of the house and COM
PEELED him to taste it first. We are
near. Rheims, after having gone
through hard, bloody and most hor-
rfble days. Thank God, I am still alive.
or our regiment of 5000 men there are
now only 1,6OO left. Let us hope that
this battle, which ought to be one of
the greatest in history, will leave me
sate and Wen and give us peace. 1 am
done, but we must not de-
spair."