GERMANY'S LOSSES.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15487, 14 January 1916, Page 9

GERMANY'S LOSSES.

200,000 MEIS" A MOJS"TH. RESERVES ALMOST EXHAUSTED. (froai OTTR OWN- correspondent.) LONDON, December 3. Mr H. "Warner Allen, tho representative of tho British Press with the French armies, sends home an interesting despatch dealing with the numerical strength of the German army Tho tradition of tho German army, ho points out, is not one of economising men, but on tho contrary, of obtaining a result at no matter what cost of human life.

He says: "Mr Belloc estimates that the German losses amount to an average of -100,000 men a month. Colonel Fcylcr, taking what ho admits to be a minimum estimate, reckons at 150,000 a month. Tho information at my disposal leads me to believo that tho truth lies between these' two extremes, and that during the last six months of tho war the German casualties liavo reached 300,000 a month, exactly as they did during tho first six months. Not more than onethird of this total is able to return to tho front, so that tho German hot losses amount to 200,000 a month.'' The heavy losses suffered by the Germans in the French offensives in Champagne in February and March last produced a porceptible effect on their organisation. Not only did tho enemy begin to draw on his untrained reserves, but from this moment ho began to form new units, not from fresh troops but from tho elements of existing units. The French offensive in Woevrc (March and April, 1915) and Artoia (May , and June, 1915) increased the wastage. They coincided with tho opening of the activo operations against Russia, • and the Germans begin to utilise their 1915 contingent.

losses in; officers. The Iqsscs in officers wero very serious. Tho official lists up to June Ist g&ve 43,972 officers as killed, wounded, and missing. On Julj 15th this figure - Jiad increased to 52,041 j that is to say, an increase of 8000 in six weeks.

On the Eastern front the casualties were particularly heavy. German documents show that the _42nd Infantry Regiment lost on the Naref 35 officers and over 1000 men; the 224 th Infantry - Regiment lost in Galicia 49 officers and 2746 men ; the Ist Reserve Regiment lost 14 officers and 788 men.; the 21st Reserve Regiment lost 21 officers and 468 men; tho 61st Regiment 10 Officers and 536 men; the 92nd Regiment 40 officers and 1196 men.

By tho beginning of June orders had been given for tho enumeration and registration of "the 1916 contingent. Similar orders were given in regard to tho 1917 contingent, and even for ■ that of 1918, so far as recruits of over 17 -were concerned. At the same time, tho second band of the untrained Landstunn —men between 39 and 45—wero registered and incorporated. Finally, the whole of the 1916 contingent, which had already been reduced by the number of youths who had volunteered for active service before 1 their time, -were called up progressively, so that by the end of Juno every man between the ages of 17 and 45 had been mcdically examined and registered. By tho.end of August tho wholo of tho 1916 contingent had beon called up, and every man between 19 and 45 capable . of bearing arms had baen mobilised. The only remaining reserves wore the 1317 contingent, and about half the 1918 contingent, apart from men over 45. The French successes in Champagno and Artois made the situation still moro difficult. How heavily they lost in those engagements may bo gathered from the following details: —• In Artois tho 11th Regiment of the 6th Army Corps had 2041 men hora do oombat; the 10th Grenadiers of, tHc same corps lost 1519; the 157 til Regiment of "the 117 th Army Corps lost 2523 men. In Champagne the 103 rd Reserve Regiment of- tho 12th Army Corps lost 2382 ,men, tho 133 rd Reserve Regiment of the 12th . Reservo Corps 1968 men, the 53rd Regiment of the 50th Division 2056 men. These figures, being official", are doubtlesst below the mark. To meet further losses Germany will be compelled, to raise tho age limit of military service above 45, and already a secret circular has been issued instructing the authorities to proceed to tho preparatory registration of men between 46 and 50.

Germany's last reserves are being rapidly used up, and if the numerical strength of her army can still bo keot up for a limited time, 4 its quality has deteriorated, and must deteriorate more and more.