South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-03-18
Three TeutOn Princes, InClud-
ing One Member of Reigning
Family Die Fighting About
neuVe ChapeIIe.
KAISER LOSES HEAVILY
BUT RANKS HOLD FIRM
Killed, Wounded and Captured
of German Army Estimated
at l9,000--DiSCipIine Still
Sticks Despite Exhaustion.

LONDON. March 1S-A remark
able tribute to German bravery in the
great battle at Neuve Chapelle In
Northern France is paid in an official
eye witness narrative issued today by
the government press bureau. This
account, which describes the lighting
around NeuVe Chapelle. reports that
three German princes including Prince
Leopold of HOhenzonern, a member
of the reigning family of Germany,
were killed IN the conflict. The mar
rative follows:
con March II the action at Neuve
Chapelle assumed the form of inCcs-
SAINT efforts on the part of the enemy
TO regain the ground they had lost.
The only result was TO enable us 10
make further slight progress. On the
morning OF March L GerEan counter
attacks were renewed on the whole
front all around the village and also
north of it,
Germans Made Prisoners.
These resulted in great losses for
the enemy, who lost many prisoners.
The Germans were beginning 20 SHOW
great exhaustion and many Oh the at
tacking line held up their hands when
we opened fire. Our infantry stOrmed
strong position near Moulin du Pi-
etre. About 80 soldiers armed with
bombs rushed a trench and took so
prisoners. In the afternoon German
resistance weakened and in some cases
entire companies surrendered. Many
men, completely exhausted, stated
that their trenches were full of water.
They said that some companies had
lost all their officers and that whole
battaliOns had been wiped out They
had been without food for days. The
surrender of these troops does not re-
fleet upon their bravery nor diScredit
them. They fought most gallantly
under n strain that must have been
terrible They were taken by sur
prise after they had been fighting for
three days against an enemy having
superior numbers and greatly superior
artillery. The effect of our lombard
ment may be judged from the act that
on March 10. when our men approach
ed the German trenches from Neuve
Chapelle some of the survivors crawl
ed out upon the ground holding up
their hands. They were utterly dazed.
The village had been converted into a
shambleS. The streets were piled
high with Wreckage and cOrpSeS.
Make Desperate Resistance.
I'm spite of our success in certain
localities the Germans continued to
hold firm and resist our attacks with
the utmost determination. The net
results of operations in this quarter
were that the ground originally gain
ed was maintained while we made
further progress in some quarters and
took 600 more prisoners. The Ger
man dead lay thick all along our
front In the sector south of NeuVe
Chapelle more than 1000 bodies were
counted. and east of the village 500
more could be seen. These figures do
not include those killed in NeuVe
Chapelle. where many bodies were
-, Nnr IN hev
include the bodies behind the line
occupied by us at L'Epinette. which
we gained by sudden attack with
bombs. We achieved this gain with
trihing loss. taking a position about
half nile in length. This represent
ed a gain of about 500 yards from our
original trenches ON the night Of
TO retahe their old position but their
attacks were repulsed. For three
DAYS the enemy. backed by severe
bOmbardment and strong reinforce
ments from many units that had been
arriving continuously since the 1Oth,
attempted 10 beat US back. But all
attacks failed The German rein
forcements were thrown into the fight
as they arrived on the field.
Good Discipline Prevails.
In spite OF exhaustion and the
great number Of prisoners taken good
discipline and order prevailed in the
German ranks. Considering the con-
ditions under which they had been
living. the clothing and bodies of the
Germans were extraordinarily clean.
The captured officers were very Optlm-
istic."
1t was a prisoner who gave the IN
formation about the three princes be-
ing killed.
The German losses are estimated at
] .00O. of these 100 being prisoners.
LANSING. Mich March 1S.-Aud-
itor-GeneraI Fuller reported 10 the
senate that the amount spent by the
state Of Michigan FOR railroad fares
d1.rinr The oalanlar Near OF 1alA. as