The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-05-01
RECORD MADE BY MEN ABROAD


continued from rage ID
sent to Saumur; while the End Bat
talon Headquarters and Batteries ID
ana + were assigned TO the school at
G~ondecourt.
The season for training being COM
pleted early in June, the LIST Battalion
was assembled and sent to the Toul
sector to support the 26th Division.
On July 5 all organizations Of the reg
iment, with the exception of Battery
F, joined the 32nd Division on the
Alsace front where 1t was holding
about 25 kilometers Approximately 16
miles) of front.
Although the regiment experienced
little strenuous fighting on this sector,
service in no way comparable with
that later experienced at Chateau
Thierry, Scissors and the Meuse-Ar-
gonne fronts yet this our of duty
proved excellent training to supple
ment and crystalline the training and
instruction previously received, and
was considered by the officers of the
regiment responsible in a large meas
ure for the low casualties and high
morale incident To the later cam.
paigns
Chateau Thierry Sector
July 20 the regiment was ordered to
the Chateau Thierry sector and en-
trained at M~ontrey-vaux in six Sec
finpc ~ 6oscarS aaob for hrnnyap-
Villers, where II was detrained two
days later. By forced marches the
command proceeded to La Charmed
where il relieved the 10th Field Ar
tillery taking positions ear Ron
cheres. This march of lao kilometers
(S7 miles) was negotiated between
July rs and August /, the regiment
covering SO kilometers (25 miles) in
n day.
Second Battle Of the Marine
When the regiment Joined its divi-
sion there had been two days of
heavy fighting. The Americans COM
menced their active offensive opera
tons on July 80 by attacking Grim
PtiNpO ,WpOno dlltE a SilUIl dllllltIy
preparation. They attained the south
western point of the woods but the en-
envy was determined not to let go
without a stubborn resistance. They
counter attacked and succeeded in
pushing the Americans advanced ele-
ments, the fighting becoming very
close and marked by hand-to-hand en-
counters at many points.
The follow ing day the entire woods
fell into the hands of the Americans.
The machine gun nests which inter
ferred with the march upon Cierges
had been smashed or reduced, and the
way was clear. Installed in Jomblets
Woods the enemy was making a de-
termined stand against the Americans.
1t was at this point that the 147th
Field Artillery went into action, tax.
ing positions August ] near Roncheres
and moving the next dag to near st.
GILES. and on August IL advancing TO
near Courville.
On August 3 the regiment was dis
tinctly honored by the assignment of
Batteries d and e Former Companies
B of Sioux Falls, C of Bookings and
ID of Parker) to the infantry advance
guards of the 63rd and Gath Brigades
respectively as accompanying artil
lery.
Cierges was the first point to fall.
The town is situated in a hollow,
therefore after evacuation the enemy
showered 1t with gas shells. but the
Americans did not halt in the town,
but by a single rush passed this un-
favorable situation and climbed the
inclines north of the village. Then,
after a short pause. they partly clear
ed Jomblets Woods of the enemy.
Hill $50 was next taken in a man.
ner which drew forth mos9 favorable
comments for the Gznd division from
army and corps commanders. Seventy
prisoners and a number Of guns and
machine guns were captured in this
charge.
From then on the enemy fed OPP
posing but feeble rear guards against