effective machine-gun fire of the enemy. Next day we again strove to extricate the besieged battalion, but again we failed. Certain enemy machine guns were so placed that their hail of death was impassable. They seemed an insurmountable obstacle in the path of the entire 307th Infantry. The men of Company B knew that the machine-gun positions of the enemy must be taken. There was nothing, at that moment, that counted more than the capture of these positions. So on October 6th we attacked, giving no thought to risk. We did what we thought would have been impossible before we knew that it had to be done. Persistently we attacked in the face of the enemy fire and as the German resistance gradually weakened, we took the heretofore impregnable positions. Seven of our men were that day cited for exceptional bravery.

On October 7th our division organized a concerted attack on the German lines. We realized the awful plight of the "Lost" Battalion and all day we fought against the enemy machine-gun nests. One by one they were silenced, and at 5:00 P.M. Company B, alone of all the division, succeeded in reaching and saving the "Lost" Battalion. The Germans were driven beyond the hill and once more the line was straightened out.

Grand-Pre

Another week and we had driven the Germans across the River Aire. We remained in a clump of woods until October 16th and then, not even waiting for our engineers to throw their bridges across the Aire, we waded the river and drove against Grand-Pre, which was the keystone of the enemy defense in the sector opposed by our division.

U. S. Official Photo
The Ruined Prize—Grand-Pre, Captured October 16th, 1918

We were stubbornly opposed by the 253d German Infantry of the 76th Reserve Division. Again and again we assaulted the position and finally, after a running fight thru the streets, the town was ours and the American wedge was in a fair way to split the entire German defense.

We pulled out of the line on October 17th and withdrew 10 kilometres to a small forest near Apremont, being relieved by the 78th New Jersey Division. As usual, there was no rest, and on October 21st we moved to Fleville for a three-day stretch of trench digging. October 31st was spent in digging trenches in the Chattel Valley.

We resumed our activities at the front on November 2d, keeping in mind that half injunction, half promise, credited to General Pershing: "Hell, Heaven, or Hoboken by Christmas!" We gave little thought to Heaven and less to Hell but, we were beginning to long for Hoboken, and we went forward with irresistible determination. Hiking via St. Juvin to Thenorgues, we loaded into motor trucks. Unloading close to the lines, we swung into immediate action and on November 3d we wrested the village of Fontenoy from the 45th German Reserve Division, the following day capturing the village of Oches from the 76th German Reserve Division.

Stonne

Stonne, a village of strategical importance, was next selected by the enemy as a point of resistance. On November 5th the combined strength of our entire Regiment was hurled against the 195th German Division, and Stonne fell to us. The capture succeeded in liberating a French population that for four years had been under the dominance of an enemy army.

The Company Sergeants. Camp Mills, May 1st, 1919

The enemy by this time was retreating fast, and so closely did we press them, we were far in advance of our cannon. The progress of the big guns was much delayed by poor roads, but the spirit of victors was in us all and little did we miss our artillery.

In quick succession we took town after town, the enemy losing to us in one day,—November 6th,—the villages of Raucourt, Haraucourt, Angecourt, and Remilly. The terror-stricken Hun gave little resistance and we kept within five minutes of their rear guard.

The Armistice

We came to a halt on the banks of the Meuse, four miles from the historic city of Sedan and, after augmenting our depleted ranks by replacement from the 38th "Cyclone" Division, we organized for what we hoped would be our final attack.

But the final attack had already been made. The unconquerable Argonne had been conquered; a ruthless enemy was vanquished.

Germany sued for Peace with defeat rather than face peace with Death. The last shot was fired at the Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month, Nineteen Eighteen, and we rested on our arms worn and tired, but victorious and happy.

The joy of accomplishment was ours and we celebrated the declaration of the armistice in a spirit far more triumphant than relieved.

On November 12th the same French who had laughed at us in pity as we shouldered their task in the Argonne, hailed us with gratitude as they took over our positions.

The march from the Meuse to our rest base in the Chateauvillain area took twenty-four days and covered 300 kilometres. It was an intermittent hike and we stopped successively at La Berliere, Oches, Harricourt, Fleville, Le Four de Paris, Florent, Sivry-sur-Ante, Noyers, Andernay, Hoericourt, Eclaron, Fresnay, Maisons, and Bayel, arriving at our base in Lanty on December 5th.

It was soon apparent that altho we had been spared the alternatives we still were not going to see Hoboken before Christmas. So we made ourselves comfortable and settled down to a long stay.

It was necessary to the maintenance of discipline and the morale of the army that drills should be continued, and as well as any recruit, we were once again schooled in the finesse of the salute, the art of the right face, and the strategy of shoulder arms. We engaged in manouvers to practice the lessons that we learned in the Argonne. And we passed in reviews before princes, generals, and congressmen. Time passed: not too quickly, but still it passed.

Christmas, 1918

Christmas was not the dreary day a Christmas away from home usually is. We had much for which to be thankful, and the intervening miles between Lanty and Home were no bar to those good wishes that came from our folks.

We celebrated, we ate, and we played Santa Claus. A tree was erected in the centre of the village and we passed out to the civilian population candy and biscuits and tobacco. The women and children and men sincerely appreciated our tokens, and happiness reigned.

The mess sergeant had an inspiration of genius and he served us with a truly Christmas dinner.

New Year's Day was red-lettered with another meal worthy of our mess sergeant's reputation. The holiday season was over and we entered upon the new year full of new hopes and ambitions.

Home

Not until February 9th was another move made. Then, en freight car, we journeyed to the Le Mans area, detraining at Poillé from whence we hiked to La Roches Farm, near Auvers-le-Hamon. April 15th we entrained at Sable for Brest, where we were quartered at Camp Pontazaine.

© Underwood & Underwood
"La Guerre est Fini!" The Parade on Our Return. May 6th, 1919

On April 19th, exactly one year after our arrival at Liverpool, we were lightered out to the United States Transport