But the 345th Machine Gun Battalion was only half of the machine guns participating in this
action, The other gunners performed their tasks with equal distinction. The entire machine gun plan had
been coordinated by Lieutenant Colonel Ernest Thompson, division machine gun officer, who followed
the principle of keeping the guns out of the front wave, and, instead, searching out commanding ground
from which the guns could aid the infantry advance by delivering direct overhead fire. The 343d
Machine Gun Battalion was in readiness in the Bois de Bantheville before H hour, and at 5:50 A. M.
went over the top behind the assaulting infantry wave. Company A established itself on Hill 278, from
which point it fired on the centers of resistance around Andevanne. One gunner alone fired eight boxes
of ammunition on the edge of Bois d’Andevanne, with excellent results. It was the plan for Company B
to move forward to Grand Carré Farm to cover the advance of the right regiment, but only the 2d
Platoon was able to arrive at the objective intact. The 1st and 2d Platoons, as well as the Headquarters
Platoon, suffered severely from shell fire. During the night of the 1st the 343d Machine Gun Battalion
moved forward and took up a defensive position on Côte 243. On November 2 the battalion assisted the
advance of the 1st Battalion, 360th Infantry, against Hill 321, and had a part in breaking up the enemy
counter-attack in that region. Despite its rapid movement, the battalion maintained constant telephonic
communication with Major Kimberling throughout the action.
The regimental machine gun companies of the 359th and 360th Infantry were attached to the
assaulting battalions of their regiments, advancing by bounds and covering the advance of the infantry
wave.
Although not an organic part of the Division, the 155th Field Artillery Brigade, which supported
the Division in the attack, won for itself a warm place in the hearts of commanders, staffs, and
doughboys alike. Every member of that brave organization, from Colonel Robert S. Welsh, the brigade
commander, who was killed by shell fire the morning of November 5 on the road between Villers-
devant-Dun and Montigny, down to the humblest gunner who assisted in dragging his battery into
position with ropes the night before the attack, has the heart and soul of a soldier.
The 2d Battalion, 313th Field Artillery, commanded by Major John Nash, particularly
distinguished itself in the eyes of the infantry. The regiment, commanded by Colonel O. L. Brunzehl,
was in direct liaison with General McAlexander, and the 2d Battalion furnished the forward guns which
were to follow up and support the infantry advance by direct fire. Immediately after the infantry jumped
off, the batteries prepared to move forward. In order to reach their positions south of Grand Carré Farm
and behind Ridge 270, it was necessary to cross the open ground under both machine gun and artillery
fire. Going first at a trot and then at a gallop, Batteries D, E, and F went into action in a spectacular
manner that rallied the infantry and caused men to remark, “With such artillery we can go through hell.”
Captain Anderson of Battery E was killed in this noble charge in the face of machine gun fire.
There were only two hours of preparatory fire before the attack. However, during the night non-
persistent gas had been fired into the Bois d’Andevanne. The rolling barrage under which the infantry
advanced at H hour was exceedingly effective. This barrage, which was 1000 meters deep and 1200
meters wide, consisted of four waves, the first two being high explosive. It was fired by seventeen
batteries of 75's and six batteries of 155’s. The effectiveness of this fire was later revealed by the
number of machine gunners found dead in their fox-holes. As the smoke made observation of the bursts
impossible, different heights of bursts were used. In addition to this barrage, the advance of the 360th
Infantry was aided by raking fire on Grand Carré Farm, Côte 243, and other dangerous points. There
was no rolling barrage in front of the 359th Infantry, the accompaniment consisting of raking fire on
Cheline Ravine, Chassogne Farm, and other suspected enemy positions.
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