Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-07-01

Scores OF YORK county pOyS serNee
in the famous Slst or Wildcat Division
which has been demobilized after re-
turning recently from overseas AL
though little late for the big show
the Wildcatters had taste Of warfare
over there and the boys were advanc-
ing over the Hindenburg line when the
armistics was signed. A total Of It's
officers and men Of the division were
killed in battle and nearly 1000 were
wounded. The division went overseas
in July last year and had nearly ten
months service in France.
The official history of the service OF
the S1st division in France as prepared
by the historical branch Of the general
staff follows:
The S1st division arrived in France via
England on August 16, 1918, and pro-
ceeded to the training area at Tonnerre
(Yonne), except the 165th field artillery
brigade and the 305th ammunition
train which were sent to Camp Valid
ahon Doube.)
After a months training the divi-
sion, less the artillery brigade. and
the ammunition train, proceeded TO
the st. Die sector (osges,) arriving
on September 10 and occupied the
same until the 18th of October. 1t
formed a part Of the S3rd corps
(French) and later the 10th corps
(French).
During this month of service IN the
sector the division was engaged In
and repulsed raids. One of the lat
ter, preceded by a long and severe
artillery preparation by the Germans,
was followed by an attack of about
100 shock troops, who were repulsed
with some 10 killed, one captured and
probably several wounded. Shotguns
and automatic rifles were successfully
used by our troops, one of our men
killed three Germans with an auto
matte. During the occupancy OF this
sector the casualties were two officers
killed and none wounded 19 men kill
ed and 4S wounded.
The division left the st. Die sector
on October 10 and proceeded to the
vicinity Of Rambervillers Vosges)
20 await transportation to join the
tirst army for the Meuse-Argonne OF
fensive. It reached the Sommendieru2
sector, south of Verdun, early in No
vember Joined the Second Colonial
corps (French,) remaining in reserve
a few days, and on November re-
placed the 35th division in this Sec
tor.
ON the night of November s orders
were received to attack the German
lines on the Woevre plains the next
morning. During the night the troops
were withdrawn from the north and
south ends of the sector, which was
some "a kilometers long, concentrat-
ed, and at o'clock in the morning
advanced to the attack.
The Germans had held this posi-
tion since early in the war; their
lines were full Of pill boxes and
strong centers of residence, all Of con-
crete, and the low and marshy plain
was full Of wire.
Ville-en-Woevre was a particularly
strong position, heavily fortified, and
had resisted capture during the St.
Mihiel operations of September II and
the following days.
Although the Germans were op-
posing only rear guard actions to the
American advance, they had shown
no such tendency in the Sommedieue
sector and while elsewhere both troops
and munitions had been withdrawn,
their lines were strongly held oppo-
site the right on the First army, where
three divisions confronted the S1st-
the 5th Prussian guards, the 3rd Bav-
arsans and the 18th Landwehr.
~ The division attacked with two regi-
ments in line and two in support, af-
ter a short artillery preparation by the
Goth artillery brigade of the 35th di-
vision. This artillery brigade gave
the division all possible support dur
ing the entire advance, but owing to
lack of heavy guns, and particularly
lack Of horses for the 75's it could
follow the attack with but two bat
talions of the latter caliber, and its
155 nm howitzers were much out
ranged by the German artillery. The
long occupancy of the ground and the
skilful use of airplane observation en-
abled the German artillery to oppose
our advance with fire from guns out
side of our artillery range; the latter
kept up a continual and effective series
of barrages, and it was from this
rather than from machine gun and in
fantry fire that most of the casualties
suffered by the division were due.
During these operations the divi-
sion attacked and captured the forti-
fed villages of Moranville, Griman-
court and Abaucourt: occupied the
villages of Blanzee and Maneulles;
broke through the first and seconc
cntrenched lines and occupied the
woods of Les Chaires Chenes ant
Noire Hale and LIE Grand and Petite
Coqnon: and when hOstilities ceaset
was up to and advancing over tn
Uindenburg line and the very strong
" fortified village OF Hautecourt.
The Geman lines We're pushed bacI
from two to five and one-half kilom
.eters.
The casualties of the division il
the three days fighting were: ON
GERS. II killed, 81 wounded and l cap
tured; men: 167 killed, 757 wounded
Sc captured and missing.
On November IS the division left tn
Sommedieue sector for the trainin!
area. around Chatillon Seine CCot
D'Or) reaching there December 3, witt
headquarters at Mussy- sur-Seine. Tn
artillery brigade then joined the dlvl
sion. which formed part of the eight
corps. The first army and the eight
corps were discontinued on April 20
1919. and the division joined the Nintl
cOrDS