South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-09-12


army corps During the night and
the following day. it was hurried
forward % relieve the g5th AmerI-
can division. which occupied the
right OF the lire Of the First corps
The relief was affected during the
hight Of sept. 30th-Oct ]. The mont
occupied 4 dilometers. extending the
Aire river along the AprOmOnt- Eclis-
fontaine road 20 EclisfOntaiae. The
enemy held line south OF the Mon
trebeau by the fifth guard division
and the SEND division. both of which
were practically fresh and possessed
Of high morale. During the sue
ceeding three days. the First divis-
ion protected itself In fox holes and
trenches. but the hostile fire was so
intense that the daily casualties
amounted to 500 men. To support
the division there were s4-I5 m m
guns and -5-155 MIN guns. Although
--c-ti~ -a-uccuats Tor the task, the
artillery used its guns with a maxi
mum OF power and skill To is a trib-
ute. not Only 20 the infantry, but
10 the artillery. that so much was
accomplished with less than one
half the artillery that was necces-
sary for such an undertaking. AT
daylight. on oct 4. the First Ameri-
can army attacked and the First
division advanced without artillery
preparation. II was preceded by
thin rolling barrage and accOmpani-
ed by a few tanks. The fighting was
even more desperate than at SOiS-
sons, as the German troops had
orders 10 hold their positions TO the
death. The enemy served his ma
chine guns until they were over
run. and his artillery FIRE was in
tense and accurate. The First bril-
gade swept over the 9Th Guard d
vision IN the Montrsbeau woods, fol
lowing the barrage across the Exer-
mont Ravine, and secured and held
the high ground just south or File
VILE. which was the left of the days
objective. The Montregane was the
scene OF desperate fighting and 1T
changed hands twice during the day
ON the right. the Second brigade
advanced 10 the north side of the
Exermont ravine, where II was met
by an overwhelming machine gun
fire and the line could proceed no
further. At night the 1sth infantry
on the right or the First brigade,
refused its flank along the west
slope Of the sIontrefagne. TO connect
with the Second brigade at the Ex-
erraont ravine The situation was
similar 20 that at the end Of the
first dav at Scissors. II addition 10
the hostile fire from the front, the
division was exposed TO a deadly rak-
ing fire of artillery from the Ar
gonne on it's left flank. and suffered
heavy casualties. The 18th infantry,
ON the left. dug in and held dOgged-
lv 10 the ground which II had gained,
and pushed patrols into the town OF
Fleville.
The assault was renewed at day
light on the 9Th. The 18th infantry
drove the enemy from Montregane,
and the Second brigade, assisted by
All the artillery of the division, ad-
vanced 10 the line of the First bril-
gade. so that at night, the mont was
along a line south OF F1eville ana
north of NIOntrefagne.
ON oct. Z, the Second brigade
swung forward to the north OF the
Ferne d'Arietal and occupied Hhl
90 for the purpose of assisting the
division on the right. This hill was
held by a battalion of the flls'
engineers. who CALAMITY repulsed
strong enemy uEter-attack' IN
which the engineers sustained heaVS
losses The terrain over which the
division was sighting had unusual
natural strength The country was
very rough anG broken by deep
ravines and isolated hills that com
nanded all approaches. the val
Ievs and slopes were open while
the crests and hiIltOps were over
grown With woods and thick orush'
afor6in. excellent cover 10 the de-
fe,.ders. The enemy had dug many
holes and had emplaced numerous
machine guns. that swept by their
fira the entire front In spite OF the
teav-y losses. the morale OF the al
vision Was superb, and the deterlh-
ination to fght increased with the
oppositiOn Of the enemy SuocesslNe
f-esb hostile divisions made their
-.,nearance. some OF which were nrst
class and all Of which were rateu
high.
on oct. Z, the First division passed
under the Fifth army corps and lh
1isison with the division on It's right
made slight gains IL became evil
dent that the enemy must be cleared
rom the northern end OF the Ar
-o,ne before any further advance
should be undertaken. Accordingly
ne SIND division entered the sector
~ the nrst division on the night
~ oct o. and at daylight = the
7tb il assaulted the heights OF Cor
nav and cote $50. The success OF
tbis operation relieved the FIRST al
yision OF the intense artillery hre
-, its sank and saved it many losses.
ON the Sth there was no ao
yance. as the corps had ordered "
,.s,ersl assault Tor oct - Inc
boundaries of the division zone We're
,.,,,fed Sd, as TO release the open
A+~e VALLEY 20 the First corps anu
81 extend the zone OF the division
troD,eter- 10 the east The rishs
"ogndars ran from Hnl 26s 70 the
Tgilerie farm and the left boundary
4, sses through .9ommcrauc-. As