Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-04-08
GERMAN LOSSES
BEFORE vERDuN :
SET AT 100000
Stupendous Total Given from
''Rigorously Checked and
Verified" Figures

Paris. @Aprtl Tine German AoSSoo
before verdun up to the present time
have reached the huge total OF 2eo'-
600 men, one Of the great battle losses
Of the whole range Of warfare, accord
ing to estimates made public here TO-
day from a semi official source-"tne
result Of careful inquiry made IN the
highest quarters in which the f1gures
have vigorously been checked and YER
if1ed."
documentary and verbal testimony
gathered and authenticated permit the
giving of precise details concerning
the losses suffered by the Germans
and by us on the Verdun 'front.' says
the semi official communication given
to The Associated Press.
During the period from Feb. Il,
when the battle began, to April l, II Is
known that .two army corps, namely
the Third ana the 18th, have been with
drawn from the front, having lost in
the first attacks at least one-third OF
their force. They have re-appeared
since and have again suffered like
losses
Using up Reinforeements
1.-THE German reinforcementS are
practically used up as fast as they are
put in line. The total effectiveness OF
the 18th corps have in this way lost
II. O0) men and the 3rd Corps has lost
$4,000 men.
Concerning the 121st division which
took possession of North Vaux about
March u we have precise information.
lol nf
ment of it's reserves were put out OF
action by our machine guns in an IN
effectual attack against the slope OF
the fort. The 62nd Regiment met sim
liar losses of which the total reached
60 per cent. of the regiments effective
ness. The 10Th German infantry hao
already suffered similar losses in at
tacking the village Of Vaux on March
9. The 18th Co. was surprised and an
initiated in entering the village
houses. It's first battalion was reduced
60 per cent Three regiments Of the 18th
Bavarian division which led the at
tack of the Malancourt and Avocourt
woods on March 20 and %. were each
reduced by one-half. Their losses va
ried between SO and 60 per cent. The
same is true Of the losses of the 4th
REGIMENT Of the End Division of Land
wehr engaged under similar conditions
THE foregoing are only losses dur
ing actual attack and do not include
the losses of regiments in the trenches
or ir reserve under the fire of our can
non. They are solely the current actual
losses. We know that certain German
units have had very high curren,
losses, that is to say, losses from ar
tillery fire, when no action OF the IN
fantry was in progress.
1--WE cite for instance, the 37th Regl-
ment Of Infantry which was surprised
hy our fire while on the march to the
trenches Il lost 500 men and from this
fact was So reduced that on March
10 could not take its place on the at
| tack on the village of Vaux as was
Oh dereG in place of Ire 18th Regiment
which had been decimated by our ma
cline guns.
summarizing. during the 40 days
from Feb. q to April 1, the Germans
lad on the Verdun front from Avo-
ourt to Eparges exactly 239 pattallons
cf infantry representing a minimum Of
J. 1875 companies of infantry besides "a
battalions Of engineers of three COM
panies each which give an aggregate
on 1144 companies fully reinforced, the
companies varying from 266 to PSI
r,en. The assaulting army. therefore
represented at least, $4,000 infantry
alone.
Since Feb. Fl, rhe reinforcements
Lave been frequent and heavy. At least
80 battalions have been sent to the
rear to be reconstructed. Others have
received their reinforcements on the
field. It is therefore nearly 100000 in
fantry which have appeared upon the
firing line and this estimate Is ever
under the mark.
Declarations gathered from prison
ers and our own observations lead u:
to estimate at least one-third of thu
total force engaged as the minimum
| losses Of the German infantry up tt
pril /. It is therefore 100000 men wh'
have fallen solely uron the first bat
tie line.
But the German losses do not stol
there. In a modern battle long rang
guns reach far behind the first line
striking lines Of com munication ant
the quarters Of troops. AS the range o
the artillery lengthens the zone Of de
struction behind the battle line in
creases proportionately. The Germa,
artillery literally piled up in the woods
suffered losses comparable with thos
of the infantry. Finally our heavy ar
tillery reached supply camps and in
Vulnerable conveys in the rear.
1--WE arrive thus keeping within
most moderate estimate, at upward o
100000 men as the figure Of our enc
my's losses before Verdun."