Page:History of the Sixth Regiment, United States Marines.djvu/24

Rh History or Sixth Regiment, U. S. Marines. 19 About this time the regiment received replacement*. AltJiough tr»ey had never before been under fire, these replacements did excellent work in the fighting that followed. At I :30 on the morning of June 13th 2nd Battalion was ordered to take up a position in the woods northwest of Lucy-le-Bocage as Brigade reserve. A statement of a dying German officer was to the effect that the enemy had brought up a fresh division and intended to attack at dawn. 1 he battalion had just reached the woods northwest of Lucy-le- Bocage when a message was received that the enemy had taken Boureschei and that Major Holcomb would take two companies of Ins battalion anc move to the woods southeast of Lury-le-Bocage with a view to counter- attacking. The 76th and 96th Companies were sent on this mission anc covered the dangerous two kilometers of open couniry to this position ir, open formation and withou* interference by the enemy artillery. The destination was reached about 8 .00 A.M., when the companies dug iri Later development-, proved that Bouresches remained in o the 78th and 96th Companies spent the day in the wood's. Early the next morning the enemv shelled these woods with gas and high explosive shells, causing heavy casualties to the two companies. At2-00A.M this same morning '.June 14th) the 2nd Battalion wa- ordered to reliee the 2nd Battalion of the 5th Regiment in the Bois de Belleau This relief was accomplished, but by next afternoon practically all of the 78th and 96th Companies had bten evacuated either as wound or gas casualties. The position' in the Bois de Belleau of which the enem> still held a part was vers active sector. The line consisted almost en- tirely of dangerojs salients and enemy machine gun nests. Tht German artillery and minnenwerfers harassed our positions almost cont nuously On the night 15th 16th the 1st Battalion cf the 174th French Infantr) relieved the 3rd, which went to the Bois de Platiere where it was held ir. division reserve Or. the night cf June 1 6th- 1 7th the 2nd Battalion was relieved by a battalion of the 7th Infantry, .American. Before the relief was made the enemy made two ^tta:ks on our positions, but we repaired them and inflicted heavy casualties. Lpon completion of the relief the battalion went into Corps reserve at the Bois de Gros jean On the nisht I8th-I9th a battalion of the 7th Infantry relieved the 1st Battalion, which moved to Nanteuil-sur -Marne. On the 19th Regi- mental Headquarters was established at Montreuil. The entire regiment was out of the front line, for the first time since May 31st. The men were given a much needed rest, baths and hot food. The Y MCA and Red Cross issued chocolate and cakes, which helped materially to improve the morale of the men. On the night of the 21st the 3rd Battalion went into Brigade reserve in the woods northwest of Lucy-le-Bocage and the following night re heved the 2nd Battalion of the 7th Infantry in the southwest corner of the Bois de Belleau. On the night of the 22nd-23rd the 2nd Battalion moved up into the woods northwest of Lucy as Brigade reserve. Regi