Page:History of the Sixth Regiment, United States Marines.djvu/45

40 40 History of Sixth Regiment, U. S. Marines. 2 Tne 3rd Baftalion. 6th Marines, operating in conjunction with the 2nd Battalion of the 23rd Infantry on its right, will attack and capture or destroy the enemy and occupy the position. 3 fa) The attack begins at 6:30 A VI. and is preced by one hour's artillery preparation as indicated in artillery program attached. At b : 30 A.M. an artillery barrage will move forward to the line indicated in the artillery program, where it remains until 7 :00 A.M. (b) Boundary limits — eastern : the eastern limit of regimental sufb- ?ector. Western : western limit of division sector. (c) Lpon obtaining the objective the troops will consolidate the line indicted in red in attached sketch. 4.- Messages to Regimental P.C . Lee.'* The 3rd Battalion was to advance to the second line of trenches east of St. Etienne. The advance was begun at 6:30 A.M., October 6th, and an hour 'ater the objective was reached. Hie casualties in the battalion were approximately 35 to 40% of the effectives engaged, mostly trom machine gun fire. After the attack liaison was established on the right with the 23rd Infantry and on left with 62nd Reeiment (French). At 3 :00 P.M.. however, the French evacuated St. Etienne, leaving the left flank exposed. The battalion commanders were ordered to furnish guides for the different platoons of the 142nd Infantry, 36th American Division, which was to relieve this regiment. This was the first time the troops of the 36th Division had been in the lines and although the 142nd Regiment arrived at the positions held by this regiment during the night of October 6th. this regiment was ordered to stand fast until further orders. All units of the 1 42nd were in place with the units of this regiment by 6 A.M. October 7th. During the night of October 6th-7th combat liaison was established with the French troops on the left, who during the night reentered St. Etienne. The French commanding officers informed the commanding officer of this regiment that his regiment held all of the town, and that his right was near the cemetery to the east of the town. He also requested that the gap between his right and the left of this regiment be closed up by troops of this regiment. On the morning of October 7th patrols and scouts were sent out from the 3rd Battalion to obtain information regard- ing the width, depth and character of the banks, of the small stream running through St. Etienne; also information as to whether the enemy had withdrawn from this regimental front. These patrols reported that the stream was narrow and that the banks afforded easy crossing. From the continual shell fire and machine gun harassing to which the front lines of this regiment were continually subjected, it was evident that the enemy was still in contact with this regiment. In fact, for three