Page:Edvard Beneš – Bohemia's case for independence.pdf/75

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CZECHO-SLOVAKS AND THE WAR, 1914
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communications of February 2nd, 1916, and March 29th, 1917, highly praised the services rendered to the Allies by these gallant soldiers.

They all fought heroically, and more than a third are decorated to-day. In the fighting on the Dobrudja in the month of October 1926, many thousands of Czech soldiers took part, and as General Zivkovic says, in the Order of the Day, "they fought heroically."

In France a Czecho-Slovak legion was formed too. On the day of the declaration of war, 471 Czech residents in France voluntarily joined the army. At the end of October 1914 they were already in the trenches in Champagne and in other sections of the front. In May 1916 they took part in the offensive near Neuville St Vaast, and their losses were very heavy; they took part later in the fighting near Souchez in the month of June, and in the Battle of Champagne, and finally in the Battle of the Somme. The greater number of them were mentioned in the Order of the Day and decorated with the Military Cross. The Czar, being informed of their gallant conduct, also conferred decorations on them. A certain number of them have now been sent to Salonika. Their losses to-day, in killed, wounded, and disabled, amount to more than fifty per cent.

In conclusion we must mention the Czech soldiers in the Serbian army, those who have