South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-09-12
The Story of the First DiUiSiOn
An Official History of the Fighting Achievements oil
France Compiled Under the Supervision of the
AID the Wa DEPARTING

ora direction oblique-to the original
front In order 10 secure DENSITY
Of the artillery ire. the Second bri-
gade. the Ist battalion OF the 10Th
infantry and the FIRST brigade ad-
ranced excessively. each being as
sisted by the entire available artil-
lery- The attack began at daylight
on oct. and was greatly assisted
by a dense fox mat Obscured our in
fantry from the encmy's machine
slnners The enemys resistance
was less than usual. because OF the
dense barrage The Second brigade
seized Hill Z63 b. a direct drive.
Starting from the northern base OF
the Montregne, the LIST battalion OF
the 18th infantry followed its bar
rage and swept Hill 272. where il
Killed or captured the entire garri-
son, including the lieutenant colonel
who commanded the regiment. Fifty
TWO machine guns were captured
along the crest Of the hill The ad-
vance of the First brigade held
line extending from the enemy's
trenches i kilometer north OF File
vile, around the north OF the Cote
dc Maldah and ran across Hill 263
90 Hill 269, where it joined the di-
vision on the right. The lieutenant
colonel who was captured, wept
when questioned and said that he
had gone through the entire war
and that this was the first time
his regiment had been on the de
fcnsive. He belonged 10 a shock di-
vision. The artillery ire had de-
stroyed all communications and for
two days he had been without food
or orders and had not been able 10
send any orders TO his troops. He
then added.
Il received orders TO hold the
ground at all costs. The American
barrage advanced toward my position
and the work OF your artillery was
marvellous. The barrage was 50
dense that it was impossible for US
20 move out of our dugouts. Fol
lowing the barrage closely. were the
infantry OF the first division. | asw
them forge ahead and knew that all
was lost. All night 1 remained in
my dugout, hoping vainly that some
thing would happen that would per-
NIT me TO rejoin my army. This
morning your troops found me and
here 1 am, after four years of fight
ing. a prisoner. Yesterday ] knew
that the First division was opposite
us, L knew that we would have 10
put UP the hardest fight of the war.
rrrr. r1<.r- 4
the German army knows it. We did
not believe that within five years
the Americans could develop a di-
vision such as this First division. The
work of its infantry and artillery IS
worthy Of the best armies in the
world"
During the night Of oct .. about
/ kilometer of the front, extending
westward from the enemy's trenches
north of Fleville, was taken over
by the Sand division.
on Oct 10, the advance continued
by exploitation for about / IL kilo-
( meters. At night, the line extended
from north of SOmmerance along the
northern edge of the Bois de RO-
magne TO the division boundary ON
oct. II, an effort was made 10 con-
tinue the advance, but the troops
soon became under the fire of the
Kriemhilde Stellung and it was seen
that prepared assault would be ne
cessary to carry this position. Be
tween oct 4 and IL, the division
gained seven kilOmeters over a most
difficult country, held by elements
of eight hostile divisions. all of
which fought to the end. The enemy
fully realized the danger 10 his COM
munications from the loss of this
ground and every success of the di-
vision hlstened his withdrawal from
the western front. The division cap
tured * officers, 1879 men, Is field
guns, 10 trench mortars and large
numbers Of machine guns, stores and
ammunition. The casualties of the
division amounted TO ~ officers
and S.377 men killed. wounded and
missing
on the night OF oct. Hip, the in
fantry was relieved by the 42nd di-
vision and proceeded TO the vicinity
of Clermont. The artillery remained
in position To support the 42nd di-
vision. As a result Of the brilliant
performance and the great sacrifices
OF the division IN this battle, the