Henderson daily dispatch., 1938-05-31
ONCE UPON MAY S1st

ONCE UPON MAY 31st
On May 26, 1918, the chief of G-2
tIntelligence) of the A. E. F., was
likewise a French agent at German
headquarters, had sent reports to the
\ rench that the next blow of the
Germans in Picardy would fall along
t44e Chemin des Danes, between
Rheims and scissors, but on May 26,
.,rench headquarters on that front as
serted everything was quiet and that
It did not expect an offensive there.
On May q the new form of massed
and speeded attack which Won Hutier
ned brought over from the Russian
front brock through the Allied line
completely on this front. And by
evening the nose of the salient was u
miles from the jump-off line.
Nowhere would the French and
British stand firm during the next
tnree days. French poilus looted
their own countryside as they retreat
ed. Fleeing civilians damned in with
soldiers clogged the roads.
Through that tidal wave, the Amer
lean End and 3rd Divisions pushed
their way, ordered forward by Per-
shing in response to the frantic call
of the French for assistance.
The End was near Chaumont-en-
Vexin and was preparing to move
northward the next day to relieve the
LIST Division at Cantigny, when its
orders were changed in the night, and
it rushed by motor trucks and buses,
toward Meaux, about 20 mics from
Paris to support two French divisions.
These French divisions fell back
through the advancing American
lines. ~
The 23rd Infantry, regulars was
ahead on the Paris-Metzs road as the
division moved forward from .Meaux.
The harried, 'flurried French staff
changed orders for disposition of the
Americans three times in a few hours,
and it was the 9Th Marines who after
travelling 80 miles in II hours, deploy-
ed along the Paris road
Until them Gen. r. E. L. Billiard
recorded, mot unit along this front
lad stood against the foe."
Next morning the 5th Marines went
nto action, as did the 9th and 23rd
.lfantry regiments.
Meanwhile, however, 20 years ago
oday, the TIN Motorized Machine
Jun Battalion, 3rd Division, regulars,
lfter travelling, sleepless for SO hours
aade the truly heroic stand to the
astward in the streets of Chateau
cherry, that started the tide turning
Men who had never been under fire
'efore held the bridges ovr the mar
{ ow Marine until they. could be de-
troyed, then held the banks against
;rossing. At the same time the 4th
md 7th Infantry consolidated a posi-
ion along the south bank of the
\ iarne,, from Chateau ,Thierry east
.5ard. IL IS #@ q IS
The Bird Division had been in France
'nly few weeks; many were only
three months from the farm and fac-
Etory. It's preliminary training wassirl-
complete, and the men had not had
he benefit of gradual introduction
to war through the usual weeks of
service in a quiet, sfront-line sector.
The Bird. lack airplanes and was minus
he necessary divisional artillery. It
lad been sent up because when the
'xtreme emergency. arose it was the
only division within reach besides
the End. ~ -
The Germans, though. the 3rd's ma
;hlne-gunners held them on the north
bank at Chateau Thierry, were filter
!ng across the south bank at Jaul-
5onne and were fortified on Hill 2O4.
'The town became of secondary i'm
oortance once the first blow had been
tended, because the enemy was as
ride the Paris road four miles to the
west and held positions which domi-