The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-09-18
CHAPTER discontinued.

still with the British when the COM
bined attack of the British Fourth
and the French First armies in the
Montdidier-Albert sector began Au-
gust s. The division was in front line
training with the British Fourth army
and was attached to the British Third
corps for the operation, the One Hun
dred and Thirty-first regiment of in
fantry being assigned TO the British
Fifty-eighth division. This regiment
Joined in the attack August 8 against
the MOrlancourt-Chipilly spur north of
the Somme. 1t reached its detectives
in splendid fashion and occupied line
on the western edge of Gressaire wood,
extending southwark along the river.
August 10, it continued to progress
against decided opposition, gaining the
eastern edge of the forests of Fosse
and Maroon. During the following
three days, the command having been
shifted, the One Hundred and Thirty
first infantry under the Australian
Fourth division attained a line Just
west of Bray-sur- SOmme. The three
other regiments were in reserve during
the operations. The One Hundred
and Thirty-firSt infantry was relieved
August 20, having advanced over three
miles and suffered heavy casualties.
l mOtOred to the British front SUM-
day TO be present at Thirty-third d.
vision headquarters, near Molliens-
aux-Bois, on the occasion of the visit
of King George, who was then visiting
his armies. General Bliss had pre-
coded me and we both spent the night
there. That evening General Bell, re-
lating the details Of the participation
of his troops with the British, said
their services had been urgently re-
quested and that they had acquitted
themselves well.
King George 8estows Decorations.
The king arrived August u, to pre-
sent decorations to selected men of the
Thirty-third division, who had partici-
pated in the recent attacks of the Brit
ish army. Soon after his arrival the
king invited General Bliss and me to
his room, where he presented me with
the Grand Cross of the Order of the
Bath and bestowed the Order of st.
Michael and st. George on General
Bliss. The presentations were in
formal, as the king simply handed the
decorations to us in turn, at the same
time expressing his appreciation Of
American assistance.
We then accompanied the king to
the place where the men were assem-
bled for the ceremony. He was gra-
cious in his compliments as he pinned
the decorations on our men, and the
recipients were extremely proud.
CHAPTER Lv
The final decision that the First
American army would undertake the
reduction of the st. Mihiel salient as
fits first operation was transmitted to
army headquarters August 10 and the
army staff Immediately began the de-
velOpment of plans for the concen-
tratiOn of the necessary troops for
its execution.
1t was certain the psychological eff
feet on the enemy of our success in
this first operation by the American
army as well as on the allies. our own
troops and our people at home would
be of great Importance. The attack
must, therefore, not only succeed, but
a serious hostile reaction must be
made impossible.
The headquarters of the First army
were removed to Neufchateau be-
tween August II and Is. The special
army troops assembled north of
Chateau Thierry were moved east
ward during the same period.
The following corps and divisions
were placed at the disposal of the
First army for the st. Mihiel operation
and their condition may be summar-
lied as follows:
The First and Second divisions were
excellent as to training equipment
and morale. They had attacked July
is in the scissors drive.
The Third, Fourth. Twenty-sixth
and Forty-second divisions were of
fine morale and considerable expert
ence, as they had fought in the de-
tense about Chateau Thierry and in
the advance toward the Vesle river.
The Eighty-ninth and Ninetieth div
isions were going through their sector
training on the front between Toul
and the Moselle river and the Fifth
and Thirty-fifth divisions were taking
their sector training in the Vosges.
The Thirty-third, Seventy-eighth,
Eightieth and Eighty-second divisions
had been training behind the British
front, one brigade of the Thirty-third
having had front-line service with the
British. and the Ninety-irst division
had never been in the front line and
had received less than four weeks
training in France.
Misleading the Germans.
The considerable circulation of
troops in the st. Mihiel area natural
ly attracted the attention of the peo-
pie and of the officers and soldiers.
Although cautioned against such dis
cussion, the probability of an Amer
lean attack on the salient was dis
-cussed here and there.
To divert the enemy's attention
from our real objective it was neces.
sary first TO create some uncertainty
in the minds of our own troops. The
rumor was therefore started around
headquarters that our first offensive
might be in the direction of Null
house in the Rhine valley, beyond the
Vosges mountains, northeast of Bel.
fort.
1t was also decided to make a d.
version in that direction, and as q
preliminary StpD an officer was sent