Page:History of the Sixth Regiment, United States Marines.djvu/50

Rh History of Sixth Regiment, L. S. Marines 45 Infantry in position on the hill a half kilometer north oi Lierrac* . 7W 1st Battalion took up a position in the vicinit) of .Sommerance Regimental Headquarters remained at Chaudron Farm until one P.M . of October 3 1 it, when it moved to the P.C. of the 166th Jnfantrv In accordance with a held order, Headquarters, Fourth Brigade, October 31st, 1918, the Regimental Commander assumed the command of the subsector formerly held by the 166th Infantr>. At about 10 P.M. of October 31st th~ battalion? of this regiment moved up into portion pre- paratory to the "jump-off' . E.nem> artillery was quiet and the move- ment was executed without difficulty. The 1st Battalion took a posit:o_» just in rear of the front line. The 3rd Battalion look a portion in the area just north of Sommerance; ai.d the 2nd Battalion took a position in a ravine one kilometer south of Sommerance The !iai>on detachment consisted oi the 95th Company of thia regiment, a company of the 80th D vision and a platoon of the 73rd Machine Gun Company. under command of .Major George A. Stowell This detachment took up a position on ihe left of the 1st Battalion. With the 1st Battalion on the front line, the 3rd Battalion
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the second line and the 2nd Battalion in the third line, the revirr.er .t was to attack a' S • 30 A.M. November l.«t. Ihe feOth Division wa! on the left and the 5th Marines on the right. Oi.s regiment v. > • to advance in l north-northeasterly direction and was to capture t^ e towns of St. Georges, Landres et St. Georges. Landeville. Chene:} and Bayonville et Chennery. The objective for the first day > op^rj- lion was some nine kilometers from the "jump:ng-o'i place. Ihe terrain was roiling, broken by an occasional patch of wood?, consisting mostly of «tun»ed trees and underbrush. ITie enemy had artillery ,r i many of tot smalt rav nes which pa=>ed through hi* sector. TS«a amount of field artillery. French and American, u*ed in this prand offensive compered favorabl> with that of the St Milnel diue. especi- ally of 75and 103 . Allied batteries were fairly active throughout the iiisfil and it 3 :30 A.M. the two hours' preparation commenced Tlv- enerm countered to an appreciable extent. At about 5:30 A.M a stand::. 2 barrage was laid down in front of the jumping olf line and continued for ten minute?, and dunng that time the I :t Battalion of ihi« regiment moved up and formed for the "jump off". In makina thi- move the 1st Battalion lost one hundred me;i killed and wounded by ' .he enemt counterbattery work. At 5:30 A.M. the rolling barrage begin, fal- lowed closely b> the 1st Battalion. The 74th Comp<H' . this battalion was on the right and the 76th Company on the led ol the front wave, with the 75th Company in support, the 9itt. ( jmpmv being attached to the l aison detachment. Each of the two fr*il line companies had a platoon of the 73rd Machine Gun Compare itta fi-<:
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