Evening star., 1915-03-29
ELEVEN THOUSAND
DEAD|N TRENCHES
German Losses in the Fighting
With French Troops in
Champaign Country.
TOTAL OF INVADING ARMY
IS PLACED AT 200, 900 MEN
Allied Troops Gain Ground Daily, It
Is Declared-Artillery Fire
of Deadly Effect.

of Deadly Effect.
CHI ALO SIS U R-MARNE. France,
March e9.-EIeven thousand German
| dead have been taken from the trenches
won by the French during twenty days
of fighting in the Champaign country.
The German losses in killed. in prison
| the French military authorities at 50,-
| 900. The German wastage, they say.
| has been two to one compared with
the French losses, because the Germans
would try to regain lost ground by
counter attacks, repeated again and
again, with obstinate courage.
1t was in these counter assaults, sup
ported by relatively inadequate artil-
lery and what the French assert was
inadequate morale, against the allied
troops that SO many German soldiers
have fallen. The graves in which they
are buried by f1fties and by hundreds
are thick upon a narrow front Of some
fifteen miles.
For nearly a month now the French,
their officers declare, by the superiority
of their artillery of both large and
small caliber and by certain ire
s1stible spirit, have, day by day, gained
ground. sometimes few hundred yards
OF trenches; on other days mile of
frontage and from three to five hund-
red yards deep.
The Germans are bringing up new
contingents steadily. They have had
in action on this segment of the fight
ing lines during March five army corps,
or about 100000 men.
Yet on the evening of every day the
French officers assert that the French
have held somewhat more of the field
than they did the evening before.
First Artillery Fire, Then Rush.
The Associated Press correspondent
has been over the ground and found
that this is what has taken place. The
French artillery, numerous and con-
centrated, at times, subdues the Ger
man guns and tears up parts of the
German trenches by sustained shell
hre. Then. at a moment signa1ed by
telephone, the guns cease and the men
In the trenches, with reserves crowded
into the approaches. jump out and
make quick run for the trenches op-
posite. Then body-to-body fighting fin
ishes the attack.
Meantime. barrier of bursting shells
behind the German front line prevents
reserves from coming up. This is con-
|
put into condition to resist assaults.
These assaults sometimes are unsuc-
cessful, but the results from day to
day apparently have been gains for
the French.
The correspondent has been able to
the French and to compare the posi-
tions occupied months ago with those
held today.
The French commanders, who find the
courage and confidence of their troops
mounting with each success. express
the opinion that the Germans have
been somewhat disheartened by feel
ing that French attacks are successful,
and that their counterattacks. delivered
with admirable pluck. under the cir
cumstances, have been useless.
The French are employing such guam
titles of artillery. newly constructed
and of heavy field caliber that they
are able to combine and concentrate
their fire in such way as has not been
seen before in this war. The French
officers say their guns can dominate
the adversary's position at any time or
place.
Incidents of the Fighting.
During the twenty days advance in
the Champagne region the French have
used a million and one half projectiles
against places occupied by the Ger
mans All along this front one heard
narratives of deeds of individual SOL
diers and of officers. There was the in
cident of Nandal, d master gunner. He
was badly wounded at the same time
as one ofhis fellow -gunners, Jacques.
To "A comrade who was trying to ban
dage his wound. Vandal said:
Il feel that I am dying. Save
jacques"
Then to a Lieutenant who was arranx-
~ haC q n he
while an enemy's aeroplane flew over
head, Vandal said: DO not trouble
about me. Do not let them see the bat
terry. Vive la France"
The next moment VandaI was dead
Private Galeski, who was the talk of
his company on the 18th and ath of
March, because of his audacity and
GOODNESS in the storming of trenches
fell on the 9Th of March in an assault
upon Forth hill. When picked up,
Galeski asked:
did you carry the Portin hill?
YES, we took it," was the reply, and
Galeski smiled and died on the
stretcher
Lieut.. Ecorcheville fell mortally
wounded in the head near a German
trench, but continued to call out
strongly to his men: "On. On. Your
duty, your duty.
fatally wounded in trench under a
violent entilading machine gun fire. He
shouted to the chief of his battalion:
Good d-bye: am dying. IT is for
| trancew
Review of $1,000 Men.
| Gen. Joffre, the French commander
in-chief has reviewed by brigade and
| by division the troops taking part il
! the Champagne fighting. One of the
| parades-that of a division-was upor