Stuart Heintzelman General Orders - March 7, 1919

Transcript

(G.O. 11) HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY AMERICAN EXPEDITIONAY FORCES March 7, 1919. GENERAL ORDERS NO. 11 ) 1. Upon the departure of the 35th Division from the 2nd Army for return to the United States, the Commanding General of the 2nd Army desires to congratulate the Division upon its services to its country in France. Organized and trained in the United States, it received a special training with the British Army in France beginning in June 1918. In July it occupied the GIRARDMERE sector with the French and it executed various successful raids such as the HILLENFIRST and the MATTLE raids upon which it was highly complimented and received decorations from the French with whom the Division was serving. In the GIRARDMERE sector it covered and protected effectively a tremendous front. In September it backed up the First American Army during its operations in the St. MIHIEL salient. In the end of September the Division attacked as part of the First Army in the great VERDUN-ARGONNE battle. It stormed and took VAUQUOIS Hill and Bois de ROSSIGNOL, two strong points of the German defensive line, and it afterward took the formidable positions near CHEPPY, VARENNES, CHARPENTRY and BAULNY, and afterwards MONTREBEAU woods and EXERMONT. It remained in the battle five days, executing five separate attacks and losing over six thousand officers and men. The Commanding General of the First Army commended the Division for its fighting spirit. During this five days battle the Division was opposed by some of the best divisions of the German Army, and from them captured over one thousand officers and men and large quantities of stores and material. Relieved in the great battle of VERDUN-ARGONNE from the fighting line for rest, the Division after two weeks breathing spell was placed in the active SOMMEDIEUE sector southwest of VERDUN, where for three weeks it harried the enemy with patrols and raids and deeply penetrated his lines, unsettling his morale. Relieved again about November 9th from the SOMMEDIEUE sector for rest it went into cantonment in preparation for early operations against the enemy in the vicinity of METZ. The Armistice of November 11th ended the war. From the Armistice through a period of trying waiting to date the Division