The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1917-07-06
NOT TOO OLD AT r T
(By Associated Press)

French army. This has been demon
strated time and again among the vet
eran regiments of the territorial army
of France-the second reserve, the
youngest Of whose men when they
were called to the colors in August,
1914, had attained the age of 81, while
the remainder ranged between that
age and Al. Many of them, especially
among the younger classes, have since
been transferred at their own request
into the ranks of the active army,
thus making the average age of these
regiments much higher, while three
years has been added to the age of all
| the men since they first put on their
uniforms 1t their country's call "to
arms"
These territorial regiments, like
their older comrades of the territorial
army reserve-the third line-were
not at the beginning of hostilities ex-
pected to go into the firing line with
the younger soldiers of the active
army and its first reserve. Since that
time many things have changed and
they have fought shoulder to shoulder
with their more youthful comrades and
have proved themselves still to possess
sterling value as warriors.
The record Of one of these regiments,
entirely composed of men from Brit
tany, will serve to demonstrate how
great is the part these soldiers of ma
ture age have taken in the task of re-
pelling the invaders, in spite of the
natural supposition that tey had pass
ed the period of enthusiasm for deeds
of valor.
This regiment was modified togeth-
er with the rest of the French forces
on August 2, 1914. When the troops
of the active army left to meet the
invading Germans crossing neutral
Belgium, this Breton territorial reg
iment was sent from its depots at
Rennes and Saint Malo to organize,
garrison and possibly defend one of
the sections of the e%ntrenched camp
encircling Paris. Four months it spent
there digging trenches, fixing barbed
wire entanblements, erecting gun en-
placements and doing all the ardous
labor connected with the establish
ment of strong military works.
When the Germans had been driven
back in the battle of the Marine, they
were placed in charge of a front line
sector to the northest of Rheims. Here
they stayed for % months, constantly
harassed by the enemy while they dug
a great system of trenches both of de-
tense and communication, built block
houses and concrete machine-gun pos
itions, e~xcavated rifle and grenade pits
and generally organized the position.
The greatest test Of the soldierly
qualities of these tough old warriors
zane when they were transferred to
Auberive in March this year. They
were attached to the famous fighting
Foreign Legion and their duty was to
do the pick and spade work and keep
the DICTIONARIES supplied with ammuni-
ton and food during the Frenc often
sive which began on April II, and at
the same time to hold a line of trench
es. When the Legion went forward on
its victorious attack the Breton terri
torials were ordered to follow them up
and extend the communication trench
es and tracks across the conquered
territory. They we're not content with
simply doing this very perilous work
always under fire. They also took
part by the side of the DICTIONARIES in
the capture of Auberive, and a section
Of territorial grenadiers played a glor-
ious role in the reduction of the small
field fort Of Vaudesincourt.
Meeting a couple of these Bretons
coming back with a batch of German
prisoners, a French staff officer inquir-
ed of them where were taken the cap
tives and where they were going and
received only a broad smile in reply.
He was astonished at this apparent
lack of discipline and was about to
demonstrate when a German prisoner
stepped forward and said: Excuse me,
Sir, but these men do not speak
French. They are Bretons." He gave
the officer the information asked for
and convey marched on.
This is not at all surprising, for al
though all Frenchmen learn French in
school, the Bretons soon lose the ha-
bit Of speaking it, as they at all times
speak their Celtic tongue among them
selves. This is a clos approach to
Welsh and has no relation whatever to ,
French.
Their gallant deeds at Auberive
brought the old territorials mention in
dispatches along with the Foreign
Legion, while many Of the officers and
men were decorated on the field of
battle, including one Of the majors.
who although 81 years old, has kept
command Of his battalion ever since
was declared and has undergone
with his men all the fatigues and hard
ships inseparable from fighting in the
front line.
LOST OR STOLEN MULE.