THE FINAL ENGAGEMENT


The final engagement, immediately preceeding the signing of the Armistice, was fought in the Marbache sector, south of Metz. It was the most important event in which all the units of the 92nd Division actively participated. The division entered this sector on October 7, 1918 and established a headquarters in the village of Marbache on October 10, 1918. Several regiments were stationed in the front lines of the Division sector. Supporting units and reserves were in the rear. Almost immediately upon entering this sector, operations were begun. Patrol and reconnoitering parties were sent out from the lines, raiding parties were active, and both sides found it necessary to be constantly on alert. As the time for the advance of the whole Second Army grew nearer, heavy shelling became more frequent, patrolling more active, and raiding parties became more bold. It was necessary to obtain all possible information reguarding the enemy's movements and intentions before the advance began. There were many thrilling experiences in this sector during the four weeks preceeding the final engagement.

On the tenth day of November came the order announcing the great drive and outlinning the position of the 92nd Division in the line.

At 7 A.M. on the tenth, the artillery broke loose with a terrible bombardment. The preparation lasted for a period of 42 minutes and was delivered upon the village of Bois Frehaut. Also, the neighboring woods through which the infantry was to pass in advance was bombed. In the meantime, the boys in the several companies of the first assault line sprang from their trenches. With grim determination, they pushed themselves into "No Man's Land" and into the woods in the direction of the great German fortification, the city of Metz. The first objective of the 365th Infantry was the Bois Frehaut woods, three miles in depth and two miles in width. Barbed wire entanglements were everywhere, German machine guns were sputtering, and large cannon were sending forth their messengers of death in all directions. The 365th Machine Gun Company, the 37-M M Platoon, and our artillery and infantrymen repulsed this murderous attack. After two hours of desperate fighting, Bois Frehaut was taken by the 365th and held by the Second Battalion of that organization until the bugle sounded the call to cease fire at 11 o'clock on the following morning of November 11, 1918.

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J.Linzy-37


jmlinzy@hotmail.com
June 2, 1998

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