The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-05-23


into line in relief of the Eighteenth
tFrench) division in the Mollevlle
ravne on October 1917, attacked on
| the 2Srd in generally northeastern
direction through lie Houppy Bots and
the Bots de Ia Refine against the Bel
leu Bots, on the left, the Bots des
chenes. in the center, and the Bots
d'Ormont, on the right the attack be-
ing made by the F'ifty-second bril-
gade on tho right and the Fifty-first
brigade on the left. supported by the
fire OF the Fifty-iirst Field Artillery
brigade
AS had Seen indicated, the country
was rugged Nv nature and we'll forth
/ fed. Immediately before attacking,
the Twentysixth division took over a
part of the right of the Twenty ninth
division sector and through protect
ing mist. the 1o1st infantry at 6:15
A. ". advanced in liaison with troops
Of tho Twenty ninth division up the
Estrayes ridge and seized the obser-
vatory on ITS top. The 1o2nd infan-
!! try pushed forward on the right, and
by md-afternoon the front had occu-
pied the whole of the Bc1leu Bots and
the Bots des Chenes and the west
edge Of the Tofs d'Ormont. Under
very heavy, artillery and machine gun
| fire. however, Belleu Eois was relin
duished, and it was necessary the next
afternoon to attack again, at the same
moment that the 102nd infantry ad-
vanced into the Bots d'Ormont.
1 Fighting all Their OF the day and
most of the following night against
most bitter resistance. the l01st in
fantry penetrated 500 meters into the
| Eois Belleu. only TO be forced back
! finally by fourth colrl ter attack az
! ter il had reT 'Ilsed three of them.
! In the lois d'Ormont, the 102nd
I infantry had a similar struggle and.
! though it got the base OF Hill $50.
/ in their eastern end, the enemy chung
! to this valuable observation point,
1 from which he could see as far as
the Mouse, and it could not be taken
before dark. The attack was renew
ed the next morning, but the attack
ing forces We're SO depleted that they
were not merely unable to make gains
but were gradually forced back by
evening to the western edge OF the
woods
/ After a very heavy artillery prep
aration a renewed attack on both
TANKS was delivered at 4 A. NJ. Octo-
: her q. The Third battalion of the
4 103th infantry by 4 o'clock in the
afternoon occupied all OF the Bots
Belleu definitely. The troops on the
d'Ormont. hut met by the most de-
vastating enemy bombaroment which
had yet been experienced though
they chung 10 their gains through the
night and n part OF the ext day they
, eventually had to give them UP and
on October @9 tho enemy still re-
tanned the Rois d'Ormont.
The Twenty sixth division lay with
out further aggressive action, being
Yalt ice 1..y . l.
ninth division and. in turn. reliev-
; ing the Twenty sixth French division
J on its right. until Noxem Der I. wher
ii resumed Offensive operations on the
front between beaumont and the Bots
d'Ormont, near which latter point il
came in liaison with the Seventy
ninth division. This front was about
five kilometers long and ran approx
! mately north and SOUTH. with F'labas
directly abe ad OF its left flank The
order Of reeim from right to left
was: 1olst, l02nd, 103rd and 1O4th
each regiment with one battalion ir
front line. The enemy seemed on the
point OF retiring along this front and
on the Sth, following up the indica
tons. the wnoie Twenty sixth division
front advanced, taking friahas and oc.
cupying the top Of the ridge facing
northeast, which dominated the
) wagon road between DamVillers and
Azannes.
26th Defects Advance.
That night orders were given ~
the corps for the Twenty-sixth divi.
sion to defect It's advance toward the
southeast in order to take Ornes
northeast IF Ii, cutting down in re-
Verse through 1.-The eremy defense.
about lie Chaume and rHenbebois
In order to reach these detectives and
the further villages and towns to.
ward Etain. in the plain OF the
Woevre. Advancing somewhat or
Noyem Der g. tire attack in tho pex
direction was taken up with still
greater viger on the 10th and, in spite
Of strong resistance by machine gun.
in the enemy trenches at lie Chaume
and l'Herbebois. it progressed steadily
especially on the left where the vii.
lage OF VilIers devant- Chaumont, in
the valley of the Theinte. was taken,
During the night of November 10
the troops were reorganized so as Ia
form three attack columns. the 101st
! infantry being withdrawn to reserve
while the 102nd prepared to attack
toward Ornes. the 104th toward Les
Jumelles d'Ormes ana the 10srd to-
ward fHerbebois. Following a prep-
aration fire, this attack started at, $40
| in the morning Of tho 18th and was
progressing very favorably when hos
Titles ceased at IL o'clock In Its
latest operations the divisions had
lost 965 officers and enlisted men.
The Part Of tho 10Th Division.
Leaving line well to the north oil
Montfaucon on September 30 and en-
tering it again on tho night OF October
4 % at the southern edge OF tho Grande
Montague. the Seventy-ninth division
spent most of tho interval between
these periods In the quiet Troyon sec
Htor, where its troops were gradually
relieved by those OF the Twenty ninth
division and In turn relieved the latter
south OF Grande Montague and part
of the Twenty-sixth United States divi-
sion in the Bots Belleu and the edge
OF the Bots d'Ormont
The l5Sth infantry brigade took the