The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1919-03-20
OFFICIAL STORY OF
THIRTlETH DIVISION
"OI,D HICKORY'S" PROUD REC
ORD GIVEN.
Across Hindenburg Line
Chief of Staff Gives Plain Facts Sup
ported by Quotations From
Records.

Histories of the American dlvls-
ions are being turned out by the
printing press as fast as the division
officers can lay aside military duties
long enough to attend to the otflclal
chronicling of the organizations.
Some of the histories are highly or
namental with artistic drawings,
maps, photographs and decorations.
From the pen of Col. John K. Herr,
chief of staff, comes the Thirtletn
divisions story, issued on an official
document and characterized through
out by marked conservatism. 1t is
no boastful narrative, but marshal
of facts supported by quotations
from the records. The Thirtieth, be
it said again, is known as the 'Old
Hickory division, though it has
been often misnamed the "Wild
Cat" because it's men came largely
from the same States that supplied
the Eighty-frst ("Wild Cat') divis-
ion.
To France in May, 1918.
After listing the Thirtieth's Off
GERS, headed by Major General E. NJ.
Lewis as division commander, Col.
Herr writes:
3 stThe Thirtieth division is a dis
tinctively American division. More
than 95 per cent. of it's personnel is
of American-born parents. The di-
vision is constituted of National
Guard troops of North Carolina
South Carolina and Tennessee, aug
mented by many thousands OF selec-
tive draft troops from the States OF
Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota
North Dakota, North Carolina, South
Carolina and Tennessee.
s.The division was dubbed Old
Hickory after the warrior ana
statesman Andrew Jackson, who was
so closely identified with the histo-
~ Of the States furnishing the ma
ior portion of it's personnel.
sTht Old Hickory division landed
at the port of Calais, France, on the
24th day of May, 1918, and was bill
leted5 In the Eperlecques training
area. While in this area the officers of
the division reconnoitered the Ter
deghen switch line south of Cassel,
and complete plans were formulated
for the occupation of this line by
forced marches in case of emergen-
cy. y
Before the completion of its
training period the division was
transferred to the Second British
corps, second army, in the Ypres
sector, to be in close support in case
) of the expected German offensive.
This division, the first American di-
vision to enter that kingdom,
marched into Belgium on July 4,
with division headquarters at Watou
{ to be in close support of the Thirty
third and Forty-ninth British divls-
ions, and was employed in complet-
ing the construction of the east and
west Poperinghe defense systems i'm
mediately in rear of these two di-
visions. An immense employed in
completing the construction, was
done. Complete plans and orders
were issued for the occupation Of the
east and west Poperinghe systems
by the Thirtieth division in the event
s of a German attack and a forced
withdrawal of the British divisions
in the front. The division received
training in the front lines with the
, Thirty-third and Forty-ninth dlvis'
ions, first as individuals, then. by
platoons, and lastly by entire bat
talions.
con August II, 1918, the divis
ion took over the entire sector occu'
pied by the Thirty-third British di
vision, Sixtieth brigade being in the
front line, Fifty-ninth brigade il
support. This was known as the
Canal sector, and extended from the
southern outskirts of Ypres to tht
vicinity of voormezeele, distance
2,400 meters.
Divisions First Offensive.
ION August 81 and September
the division engaged in an offensive
in conjunction with the Fourteenth
British division on the left ane
Twenty-seventh American division
on the right. The Thirtieth divis
ion captured all its objectives, in
cluding Lock No. 8, Lankhof farm
and the city of Voormezeele, advanc
ing 1900 yards, capturing fftee1
prisoners, two machine guns, ant
thirty-five rifles. AS a result of thi
advance the 236th division, whicl
was considered an average German
division, was identified. Durin: