Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-12-03
FRANCE SUFFERS
HEAVILY in WAR
Nearly 1000 Graduates of lis
West Point Have Already
Been Killed
ARE BRAVEST OF TROOPS
Have Performed Some of Most
Hair-Raising Deeds of
Entire Conflict
ARE BRAvEST OF TROOPS

Correspondence of Associated Press.)
Saint Cyr. France, Dec. Saint
Cyr. the West Point of France, made
heavy sacrifices to the country in the
first year of the war. Nearly 1000 of
its graduates were killed, including
2S7 of the 1000 cadets of the classes
of 1914 and 1915. Thirty-one of these
young officers were decorated with the
cross of the Legion of Honor, nearly
200 of them were cited in orders of
the day and more than 500 were
wounded. Altogether, more Saint Cyr
men perished on the battlenelds of
Morhange, Charleroi, the, Marne, the
Aisne and in the Vosges than were
killed in the battles of Austerlitz, Ey-
rail and Waterloo. Nearly as many
died on the field of honor from Au-
gust l, 1914, to August 1, 1915, as
had previously fallen from the date
of the birth of the academy in 1892.
On July 20, 1914, the officer COM
manding Saint Cyr notified the cadets
of the class of 1915 that the customary
fete called the ''Triomphe'' which
takes place each year incidental to the
ceremony of the promotion of the ju-
nior class and its christening would
not be held. Each class at Saint Cyr at
the time of its promotion receives a
distinctive name, a sort of nom de-
guerre," which its members carry
throughout their career: it is confer
red upon the juniors by the graduating
class. The suppression of the fete was
momentous revelation to the young
officers-the first official confirmation
they had received of the impression
that war was imminent. The rejoic-
ing was by official orders to be re-
placed by military honors that gave to
the occasion an unwonted solemnity
and sort of grave enthusiasm. Drawn
up in the spacious court of Louis XIV
the "Montirails''-the class of 1914-|
paid the honors to their juniors. Only
general officers, a captain and a lieu
tenant of the guard were the privileg-
ed spectators of an impressive scene
that will be recorded in history. A
few sober words of presentation pro-
nounced by the major of the "Montmi-
rails and the new class entered upon
its military career under significant
name of the "CroiN du Drapeau" (the
cross of the fiag.)
Glass Poet Recites
Jean Allard Meeus, the poet of the
class, recited a patriotic poem, his only
contribution to literature but one that
will make his name endearing. When
he had finished reading his inspiring
lines a voice cried out from among the
y
Swear all of us. that when we 20
into action it will be in full uniform
with white gloves and plume flying in
our shakos."
A thousand voices blended in one
reply:
I'VE swear it,
Some war correspondents have
discovered some d'Artagnans among
the French soldiers at the front With
the cadets of Saint Cyr the spirit of
Cyrano de Bergerac and the cadets of
Gascogne may surely be said to live
again.
The soldier poet, Jean Allard Meeus,
kept the oath that he had taken. He
went into action in full uniform the
most conspicuous target of all, leading
his section to the assault, and was one
of the first to fall. on August %, at
Charleroi. Second Lieutenant de Fay
ollie, of the class of the "Croix du