South Bend news-times., 1919-09-10

Continued from sunday EditionJ
The FIRST division was attached TO
the 20th French Army corps, Of the
10th army. At a conference on July
18th. order were given for an at
tack at daylight on Jaly iSth. The
FIRST division was 20 occupy the left
Of the front OF the goth corps, with
the First Moroccan division on its
night and the 152rd French division
OF its left The direction OF the at
tack was towards the south or Sois-
sons During the night of July nth
18th. French troops OCCUPYING the
lront line were relieved by the First
division This was accomplished
with great difficulty. owing 10 the
congosted condition of the roads
and the great distances TO be GOV
cred during the march. BY 4.33
o'clock on the morning OF July 18th,
which was II" hour, all troops Of
the division we're in position and the
artillery was ready to support the
attack. with only six minutes OF
advanced. accompanied by French
tanks and preceded by a thin roll
lirg Jarrage. The enemy was com
pressed rapidly on TO the plain
which lay south Of scissors. BY tho
end OF the first day. the First in
fantry brigade. on the right, ha6
gained s kilometers and was in close
liaison with the First Moroccan d.
Vision The Second infantry brigade.
on the left, had taken Missyaux-
BOis and the deep Missy Ravine and
was in liaisOn with the 1870 divis-
ion. 10 had advanced 4 L. kilo-
meters and IL became necessary Tor
she First brigade TO refuse its left
in order 10 connect with the Sec
oud brigade. The fighting was bit
ter. but many prisoners and guns
were taken along the entire front
of the division. The attack was
resumed at daylight on the 18th and
the tghting was severe throughput
the day. BY night. the Second bri-
gade. in liaisOn with the 153rd di-
vision. had taken the difficult Plois-
sy Ravine and had reached the edge
of the Chazelle Ravine The First
brigade had confCrmed 10 the move
ment with great skill and the line
was Strengthened. BY this time. the
tanks had all been disabled. They
had rendered excellent assistance
against the enemy's machine guns
ana the superb morale OF the Tank
corps was a great inspiration to the
infantry.
ON July goth, the enemy's resist
ance stinened and the battle grew
i'm fr.s MI.
greatly increased and machine gun
nests were spread along the entire
front The losses were very heavy
The original detectives OF the First
division extended from Buzancy on
the south to Berzy-le-Sec This OBJ
jectve was accordingly transferred
by the army Of the First division on
July 10th and an assault was order
ed for the entire line at 1880
O'Clock The position was naturally
strong and il was defended not only
by "a large force, including artillery
and machine guns. but the approach
TO it was entirely swept by the
hostile machine guns in front Of the
i5a division. The artillery of the
First division was greatly made
quatc. For the entire front. there
there We're only S4-75 MIN guns
and 24-155 MIN howitzers 1t was
therefore impossible TO establish
superiority OF fire True TO its
traditions and its training. the artil-
lery was handled aggressively and
with the most devoted zeal In
order 10 give TIE infantry "a maxi
mum OF support. batteries did not
hesitate 10 place themselves close
to the very front lines. The re-
Spouse was invariably quick and ac-
curate. At times the orders could
not be received in time for prelim-
mary preparation and .barraEe tables
were prepared as they were being
ured Neither the enemy's fire nor
the difficulties OF the terrain in any
degree deferred the supporting bat
teries or diminished their fire. The
assault OF 1880 was made by the
second brigade supported by all the
available artillery. When the troops
came within 500 meters OF the town.
the fire OF the enemy from the front
and flank became annihilating and