The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-07-07
NEVER ITO OLD
AT 40" IN THE
FRENCH ARMY
Men of That Age Are Playing an Impor-
tant Part in Repelling the Invader
Men From Brittany Serve
as an Example.

French front, July Correspondence
When heroism is concerned there is n
question of being "too old at 40" in tn
French army. This has been demonstrat
ed time and again among the veteran
regiments OF the territorial army o
France-the second reserve, the youngest
OF whose men when they were called Il
the colors in August, 1914, had attained
the age of "a, while the remainder
ranged between that age and Al. Many
of them, especially among the younger
classes, have since been transferred al
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 at their country's call
] to arms.
These territorial regiments, like their
older comrades of the territorial army
reserye-the third line-were not at the
beginning of hostilities expected to 60
into the firing line with the younger
! soldiers of the active army and its first
reserve. Since that time many things
dhave 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 Brittany,
will serve to demonstrate how great is
the part these soldiers of mature age
have taken in the task of repelling the
invader, in spite of the natural supposi-
ton that they had passed the period OF
enthusiasm for deeds of valor.
This regiment was modified together
with the rest of the French forces on
Aug. 2, 1914. When the troops of the
active army left to meet the invading
Germans crossing neutral Belgium, this
Breton territorial regiment was sent
from its depots at Rennes and Saint
Malo to organize, garrison and possibly
defend one of the sections of the en-
trenched camp encircling Paris. Four
months it spent there digging trenches,
fixing barbed wire entanglements, erect
ing gun emplacements and doing all the
arduous labor connected with the estsb-
lishment OF strong military works.
When the Germans had been driven
back in the battle of the Marine, they
were placed in charge of front line
sector to the northeast of Rheims. Here
they stayed for % months, constantly |
by the enemy while they dug a |
great system of trenches both of defense |
and communication, built blockhouses |
and concrete machine gun positions, ex
,avated rife and grenade pits and gem |
orally organized the position.
| The greatest test of the soldierly |
Qualities of these tough old warriors
,ame when they were transferred to
in March this year. They were
attached to the famous fighting Foreign
legion and their duty was to do the pick
ind spade work and keep the DICTIONARIES
upplied with ammunition and food dur
ng the French offensive which began on
April IL, and at the same time to hold
inc of trenches. When the legion went
onward on its victorious attack the
Breton territorials were ordered to fol-
ow them up and extend the communi-
alton trenches and tracks across the
onquered territory. They were not con-
ent with simply doing this very peril
us work always under fire. They also
ook part by the side of the DICTIONARIES
n the capture OF Auberive, and a sec
ion of territorial grenadiers played a
lorious role in the reduction of the
mall field fort of Vaudesincourt.
Meeting couple of these Bretons com
lg back with a batch of German pris-
ners, French staff officer inquired of
hem where they had taken the captives
nd where they were going and received
My broad smile in reply. He was
stonished at this apparent lack of dis
pline and was about to demonstrate
hen German prisoner stepped forward '
nd said: Excuse me, sir, but these s
zen do not speak French. They are 1
He gave the officer the infor- G
srched on. 6
This is not at all surprising, for al ;
lough all Frenchmen learn French in :
hool, the Bretons soon lose the habit =
speaking it, as they at all times speak
eir Celtic tongue among themselves. =
his is close approach to Welsh and
IS no relation whatever to French. u
Their gallant deeds at Auberive
ought the old territorials mention in
spatches along with the Foreign Le- o
on, while many of the officers and men s.
re decorated on the field of battle, in Il
lding one of the majors, who, although n
years old, has kept command of his +,
ttalion ever since war was declared .,
d has undergone with his men all the :,
tigues and hardships inseparable from =,
hitting in the front line. ~
word must also be said for the Off l
s and men of the territorial army re-
We. These men when called up in u
Ia ranged in age from Al to As, and
" have been engaged ever since in the CO
ing work of organizing the roadways oil
lind the immediate line of battle and et
n sometimes of constructing commu- RI
alton trenches and tracks under heavy n,
as their younger comrades advanced. "a
e Associated Press correspondent has ~
n them at work at all parts of the -,
:, and can vouch for the fact that they ~
Ter finch from any task set them. &C
~ ply their picks and spades under ca
Wy shrapnel without a murmur and TN
bout hope of gaining distinction or 70
grafton. Their only thought is that be
V are helping their comrades TO free
nee of the barbarous invader. tic
IN
de
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