Taking up a flanking position, the first section of the first platoon succeeded in quieting the most troublesome of the machine gun nests. After the relief of the men in the line positions was completed by Lieutenant Paton with the second section of the first platoon, the order was given for them to retire to the woods from which they had started their advance, and with the remainder of the Company to take up the defense of the positions for the night.
Shelling became very heavy at this interval. Many of the casualties of the day were suffered by the Company while the men remained in their positions around the guns during the barrage of gas and high explosive shells. The total losses of the Company during the day included Callahan and Kapitzke, killed; Ed Malone, Farnsworth, Harry O'Neill, Raymond Smith, Brock, Diamara, and Moses, wounded; Jim Brown, shell-shocked; Corporal Malone, Oscar Johnson, Lesocke, Kostrzewski, Eddy and Jacobs, gassed.
The night was spent in mud holes, for there were no trenches or shelters, but in spite of the rain which fell all night and the German shells directed against batteries in the rear, whining and banging all through the hours of darkness, the men slept as only exhausted men can sleep, and in the morning were rewarded with an excellent meal from the kitchen, which Lieutenant Bacharach had manœuvered to Verdilly.
Artillery of all kinds and calibers arrived during the night and in the morning the 101st Engineers made the attack in place of the infantry, which had suffered severe casualties and needed a rest. This served to keep the Boche busy for the day, although no progress was made until night, when the persistence of the Engineers and French successes to the north of Epieds forced the Hun to fall back to Epieds, beyond which point he was driven by parts of the 102d Infantry and units of the 28th Division, who took up the attack when he attempted to make a stand in Trugny.
Left, top to bottom—Sgt. I. F. Carey, Cpl. E. F. Clark, Cpl. B. J. Fitch, Sgt. H. J. Dockendorff, Sgt. C. J. Dowers, Sgt. M. T. Krakovec.
Center, top to bottom—Sgt. M. A. Guerrant.—Scene toward German lines from Jury woods.—Pvt. A. G. Kapitzke with German helmet and rifle.
Right, top to bottom—Cpl. R. B. Martin, Cpl. W. I. Bassett, Sgt. F. P. Malone, 1st Sgt. T. J. Reilly, Sgt. F. R. Curtiss.
Left, top to bottom—Orphan adopted by company.—Mess time in Besombois.—Top of Lt. Nelson's dugout in Ormont.—Company billet in Mansigne.
Center, top to bottom—Tallest and shortest men in the company.—Group at Brest just before embarking.
Right, top to bottom—Waiting for barrage to lift, Oct. 27, 1918.—Newspaper "kiddies," Certilleux.—On road to Ormont woods.—Foster, Stevens, Fitch and Hobart at company headquarters, Besombois.
Passing a large German gun abandoned at the side of the road near Trugny and many dead Hun machine gunners at their tiny emplacements along the Verdilly-Epieds road, the Company marched with carts carrying their guns through Epieds, scarred by the devices of battle, up the hill to the east and then northeast again through the woods, shell-splintered and torn, about seven kilometers, to the Fere en Tardenois road, where the advance was halted. There the first platoon took up front line positions.