of the 26th Division of the U.S. Army
during World War I
| The History of the 103rd Regiment of the 26th Division of the U.S. Army during World War I |
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1. On November 8, 1918, the 103rd Infantry was holding a sub—soctor of the Neptune Sector with the lst Battalion in the l`1·o11t line in the C. R. Mamelle co1np1·isin,e; the Bois d’Hau111ont, and the 2nd Battalion in support in the vicinity of the town of IrIaumont. The 3rd Battalion had bee11 at- tached to support the 157th Infantry Brigade with station in the Ravine south of Bois Brabant-sur-Mouse. 2. Tl1e1·e had been indications for several days that the enemy contemplated withdrawal from this area. At 12.00 o'eloek, November 8, the lst Battalion. 103rd Infantry re— ported sceiiip; 200 of the enemy with full equipment moving towards the ltlast. At about the same time the 104»th Inl':1ntry on our lef`t reported by telephone that S3 of the enemy fully equipped, were moving in the direction of Flabas. 3. The lst Battalion, I02lrdI11l`antry was ordered immt~di— ately to push out outposts in its 1`ront. These patrols entered the former enemy front line without resistance, whereupon the entire Ist Battalion was ordered to take up the advance. 4. At l-1.25 o’clocl; a telephonic report was received from the 104tli Infantry on the left to the etfect that three pris- oners taken by them, stated that orders to retire had been given at 12.00 o’clocl: that day. 5. By 15.05 o’r·loek the Haurnont woods had been cleared by our 1st Battalion and a patrol of 18 men had reached the outskirts of Flabas. In the meantime the 2nd Battalion, 103111 Infantry had been ordered to move up from its support pos- ition in the vicinity of the town of Hauniont te the position in the Bois tl’Hau1nont just vacated by the lst Battalion. The Ist Battalion train was ordered to move to the foot of the hill west of Haumont, in readiness for the further advance, while the Machine Gun Carts of the Regimental Maehiric Gun Company were assembled near Samogneux to facilitate the progress of the movement as it developed. 6. The Ist Battalion continued its advance to the East and reached the town of Flabas just as the rear guard of the enemy was leaving, indicting casualties upon l1i1n. At 16.30 o’clo·k 3 plateons of the advance company had passed beyond the town of Flabas to the wooded slope to the southeast. The support companies were 500 meters to the rear. Here tl1ey were ordered to establish themselves for the night with out- posts overlooking Damvilliers-Azannes road to which active patrols were to be pushed out throughout the night. 7. At 2.00 oleloek on the morning of 9th November, the 3rd Battalion, 103rd Infantry was relieved from further duty with the 157th Infantry Brigade and ordered to take up a position in the Bois d'Haumont, 1000 meters i11 rear of the 2nd Battalion which was in support. At 2.30 o’t:lock orders were received that the 2nd Battalion would pass through the lst Battalion in the position it then held, and continue the advance along a new line 120 degrees East of lxiagnetic North. 8. Accompanied by the 103rd Machine Gun Company, the 2nd Battalion passed through the lst Battalion and took up thc advance at 7.40 o’ clock followed by the lst Battalion in support at 600 meters and the 3rd Battalion in reserve 1000 meters farther to the rear. A combat Liaison group consisting of 1 officer, 2 platoons of Infantry and l section of Machine Guns was detailed on the right with the 51st Infantry Brigade, and a similar group on the loft was givcn the mission to maintain Combat Liaison with the 104th Infantry. 9. No opposition was oncountered for 1-% kilometers, when Machine Gun fire from the riclgo in thc Bois Comte hold up the advance through the Rnvin de la Vaux Hordelle. The ravine was finally crossed and the crest of the ridge _ reached at 9.30 o’clock, when intense Machine Gun fire from the Bois de Ville and from the left flank sweeping the top of the hill together with Minnenwerfer and Artillery fire, held up the advance on the line 31.4-78.1 to 31.7-78.9. Au attempt to move forward by infiltration was repulsed by Machine Gun fire. An attempt was then made to move forward under a barrage laid down by our own 103rd Machine Gun Company, but there was no apparent lessening of the enemy fire and this efforl. was also unsuccessful. 10. The support Battalion was then ordered to assist by moving at Company to the left with a view to turning the loft flank of the posi- tion, but found the enemy Machine (lun fire too severe to permit Manoeuver. 11. At 16.30 o’eloek another attempt was made to move forward by combining a frontal attack of the 2nd Battalion with a turning movement on the right flank by another com- pany of the support Battalion, preceded by lil! minutes artil- lery preparation by 75’s and 15.5’s. l`or some reason this artillery preparation eonsisted of only about 15 shells. Our left moved forward a short distanre in the Ravin le Fond des Vanx, where itsleading elements t`ound tliemselves ·omplt—tt·ly cheeked by Machine Gun tire enliladinp; them from the left. The flank attack on the right prop;rcsst—d a distance of about. 100 meters, when it was also held np. 12. At 19.30 o’cloel, pursuant to Division Orders our troops were directed to hold the line for the night as it then stood. The Stokes Mortar and 37 rn/in guns were brought forward and established on the crest of the hill in the Bois do Comte in preparation for further advance the following morning. 13. On the morning of the 10th, the 3rd Battalion passed through to resume the attack. The lst Battalion moved 600 meters in rear in support, the 2nd Battalion being withdrawn 1000 meters farther in rear in Division Reserve. At 6.15 o’clock the 3rd Battalion attacked the enemy position in the Ravin le Fond des Vaux and the Bois do Ville with 3 companies in the front line and 1 in support, preceded hy a one-hour preparation by light and heavy artillery which was very well plaeed and which materially aided the advance which pro- gressed through the Ravine and up the steep slope of the Bois de Ville. At the same time, Company K, under Lieu- tenant Blackman successfully executed a flank movement which turned the right of the position, netted 24 prisoners, indicted casualties on the enemy and silenced several of his Machine Guns and put the enemy to flight, thus enabling the remainder of the Battalion to advanee over the hill through the Bois de Ville. 14. Our left flank was held up for some time by reason of the fact that the 104th Infantry on our left was not advanc- ing. Finally the 3rd Battalion was ordered to move ahead and the Support Battalion was directed to dispose themselves well in depth connecting with the right flank of the 104th In- fantry, thereby keeping Liaison and also to bring flank fire upon the Tr. du Bosphore to our north, to assist the 104th Infantry in moving forward. By ari·an;;e|n·nts with the Commanding Officer, 104th Infantry, our accompanying piece of 75 m/m Artillery was trained upon Ville devout Ohauinont to assist him in taking and overcoming the resistance at that point of his front. 15. At 17.00 o’clock the position of the l03rtl Infantry was as follows: ` V ` ` I A ` _ 3rd Battalion had advanced to the railroad track amd Azann~s-li·u.umont Road. General line 32.6-78.4 to 32.8-78.35 to 32.7-78.0 to 32.55-77.75. The lst Battalion had 1 Company covering the vxpusenl left llxmlc amd the other 3 companies disposed in depth as above stated. These were ordered to put out outposts to their loft intex·poseil Imtwuwi them and thc Tr. du Bosphore; to organize tlu- poaitimi for zidvimwe ugninxt counter attacks and to hold the ground gained lor thu- night. 16. At 2.30 o'clnek on the morning of the lltli, the- lst llntliilioxn amd Lluxl Battalion (Reserve and Support) were n1·clervl to move to tlw llzist·r1i mlge uf |  |
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