In early July 1918, Shipton was assigned command of the Fifty-fifth Field Artillery Brigade. Moved to the front on August 20 from their training grounds at Camp de Coëtquidan, the brigade was attached to the Eighty-ninth Infantry Division under the command of Major-General William M. Wright from August 26 to September 14. It was during this time that the division participated in the St. Mihiel offensive from September 12 to 15. Shipton replaced Colonel le Chaunac, a French officer, as commander of the division's artillery which included an assortment of French artillery units and now the Fifty-fifth Artillery Brigade. On September 14, as the division was engaged in combat, Shipton received orders to withdraw his brigade and proceed to another front. Wright protested the transfer as he would be left "with practically no artillery support." The transfer proceeded. Command of the division's artillery reverted to le Chaunac. He moved into Wright's headquarters and quickly set to work in bringing up French artillery to the front. Le Chaunac was credited by unit historians from both the Eighty-ninth Infantry Division and Fifty-fifth Artillery Brigade as having played a major role in the division successfully achieving its objectives during the battle. Despite withdrawing early, Shipton and the role of his brigade in the battle was nonetheless recognized by Wright. The Major-General heard "nothing but praise from the officers and men of the Division for the way the artillery was handled and conducted itself."