The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1919-06-26
OFFICIAL HISTORY
OF 8lST DIVISION
REPULSED HEAVY RAIDS WHILE
SERVING WITH FRENCH 33RD.
Its Staff Organization.
Advancing Over Hindenburg Line
After Three Days Fighting
When Armistice Came.

Columbia, June S-The official
history of the service of the S1st di-
vision 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
proceeded to the training area at
Tpnnerre (Yonne), except the 165th
field artillery brigade and the 3O6th
ammunition train which we're sent to
Camp Valdahon (Doube.)
After a months training the divi-
sion, less the artillery brigade, and
the ammunition train, proceeded to
the St. Die sector (Vosges), arriving
On September 10 and occupied the
same until the 10Th of October. 1t
formed a part of the 33rd 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 Ger
mans, was followed by an attack OF
about 100 shock troops, who were
repulsed with some 10 killed, one
captured and probably several alwound-
ed. Shotguns and automatic rifles
were successfully used by our troops,
one Of our men killing three Ger
mans with an automatic. During
the occupancy of this sector the cas-
ualties were two officers killed and
none wounded; 19 men killed and 4S
wounded.
The division left the st. Die sector
on October 19 and proceeded to the
vicinity of Rambervillers (Vosges)
to await transportation to join the
First army for the Meuse-Argonne
offensive. It reached the Sommediere
sector, south of Verdun, early in No
vember joined the Second Colonial
corps (French), remaining in reserve
a few days, and on November 6 re-
placed the 35th division in this Sec
tor.
On the night of November orders
were received to attack the German
lines on the Woevre plains the neSt
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were withdrawn from the north and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 s o'clock in the morning
advanced to the attack.
The Germans had held this posi-
ton since early in the war; their
lines were full of pill boxes and
strong centers of resistance, all of
concrete, and the low and marshy
plain was full of wire.
Ville-en-Woevre was particularly
strong position, heavily fortified, and
had resisted capture during the St.
Mihiel operations of September IL
and the following days..
Although the Germans we're 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 with
drawn, their lines were strongly held
opposite the right of the First army,
where three divisions confronted the
81st-the 5th Prussian guards, the
3rd Bavarians and the 18th Land
wehr.
The division attacked with two
regiments in line and two in support,
after a short artillery preparation by
the 6Oth artillery brigade of the 35th
division. 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 MN howitzers were much out
ranged by the German artillery. The
long occupancy of the ground and
the skilful use Of airplane observa-
tion enabled the German artillery to
oppose our advance with fire from
guns outside of our artillery range;
the latter kept up continual and
effective series of barrages, and it
was from this, rather than from ma
chine gun and infantry fire, that most
of the casualties suffered by the divi-
sion were due.
During these operations the divi-
sion attacked and captured the forti-
fed villages of Moranville, Griman-