Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-27
SMALL FORCE or FRENCH
/ IN CONTROL or D|XMuDE
Not Once During War Have Germans
Succeeded In Capturing
That Town.
TRENCHES CHANGE HANDS
Lieutenant Returning From Front
Tells OF Desperate Struggles for
Possession of Historic Centre and
Defense OF Courageous Admiral.

lSneclai Gable to The Times DISPATCH.
LONDON, ID cccmber pa Young
iieut ehant, promoted for gallantrv and
e'hciehcH rs motorcyclist expert. has
'uH' returned 10 the front after n
week leave of absence from France
In theecourse of his stay In London
ne told many interesting stories.
have been amused" he said 10
read the many stories which have an
peared Ill the London and other n,n.rs
Oh me taking and retakinE of Dixmudo
I'm BelSium) by the German invaders
! ".tNe bcen quite n number. of times
eseiths ana accommodating with my
"rmored automobile around Dixmudc
ana never nave ! once known the town
10 be captured by the German force
My hrst experience of DiXmude was
pcihs captured as a spy by n French
marine sentry. ] was brought before
Contre- admiral Ronarch. grand old
Sa'Ior II ever there was one, who, as
soon as he heard my explanations. had
me released. and we have been tho
best OF friends ever since"
SMALL FORCE OF FRENCH
UNDER BRAVE OLD ADMIRAL
Asked ms to what troops the garrison
consisted of, the lieutenant repljed.
1T consists of about 1000 French
lhreton) marine. under the above-men-
toned admiral, and as far az know
!heS nave resisted from start to fin
ish all the desperate attacks of The
Germans. who have failed to capture
the town from these fine troops To
see that gallant old admiral, clear
headed and kcen-cyed as sailors ALWAYS
are holding his own against such tire
mendous odds, has been one of the FIN
est episodes of the war. When ! was
hrSt there met twcnty-four captains
of marines. commanding q like number
o n f1
the second occasion the number of
captains was reduced to fifteen, and
the third time ! was there only ten
were left. Yet, with all the .rcverscs
and the terrible loss Of life I'm the
trenches. the gallant old admiral never
for moment falt"red, and was as
cheerful. as though he were living in
his own comfortable homc--a distin-
guished officer in wcll-carncd retire
pent.
IL want to say that, as far as | know
up to the time left a week ago. the
French marines never once yielded up
the town Occasionally Il few Ger
mans got through. but they were
quickly chased through the streets and
either killed or escaped from the town.
What actually happened was that the
French trenches were now ana then
captured by the Germans. and were
invariably retakcn first by one and
then by the other. OF course, the
town has now been destroyed, but
have no reason to doubt that the gal
liant old admiral and his faithful ma :
rincs are still in their places"
Another interesting experience OF
the lively lieutenant occurred at the
camp. where he Is stationed near the
headquarters of the British forces
81 was in camp at the time" he said,
when n French captain Of hussars
dashed into our midst, his horse
wounded and he himself in 4 pitiable
state. He told us that his troop had
been bRdly cut UP by the Germans
that the victors were following on his
heels, and would COON he upon us. Re
prepared to n.y. he added. but beg
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