Meuse – Argonne Offensive
Follow the N3 toward Clermont-en-Argonne, turn right on D998 toward Auzeville, take the left fork across river Aire through Auzeville, follow D21 to Jubecourt
Jubecourt and Brocourt was the “rest area” for the 89th division after their experience under fire for the previous two months in the St. Mihiel area. Upon arrival they were told that they would receive three weeks rest, but they were given only three days. New recruits from the 86th division (Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota) were added to make up for men who had been killed or wounded. Rain fell for most of this time, turning roads into mud, but the men were glad to not be out in the trenches in the bad weather.
Follow the road north out of Jubecourt toward Brocourt and north of Brocourt, turn left for Brabant. After Brabant take the (second) right fork for Parois, then get on D946 toward Aubreville. Take the D160 north (right) before reaching the turnoff to Aubreville, and turn left on the D38 toward Cheppy. Follow the turnoff to Cheppy, follow D19C through town and onward to Very and then to Epinonville and Eclisfontaine.
This was the route to the front lines, and Martin’s regiment covered this distance on foot during October 13-14 1918. The movement was “cross-country” and very slow because the ground was so difficult – old trenches, mud, blasted shell holes, barbed wire, tree stumps all created obstacles that slowed progress. These days were cold and rainy, and the kitchens were not able to keep up because of congested roads, which meant that the soldiers only had their cold rations to eat. When they finally arrived at their destination, they had to camp in the rain and mud; they also spent time in drill and burying dead soldiers (American and German) from the American offensive that they were about to join.
From Eclisfontaine take the D998 into Romagne. By the church, take left fork (D123) toward Sommerance.
This road skirts the southern edge of the Bois de Bantheville where Martin’s unit was placed during Oct 21- 30; the clearing on the right just past the woods is the site of the “engineer road” that was built by Americans to allow artillery to be sent forward, and casualties to be removed. The Romagne-Sommerance road enters the Bois de Romagne / Bois de Gesnes, and the PC for the 177th (T&N) was along this road approximately 1.5 miles from Romagne (should be on right side of road). The right fork leads to a road that goes north into the Bois de Romagne. This entire area was the scene of very bloody fighting in the weeks prior to Martin’s arrival.
Backtrack to Romagne on the D123, and head north toward Bantheville on the D998. Turn left just before entering Bantheville and follow farm lane back toward Bois de Bantheville. At fork, bear left and follow road through the woods into the clearing beyond. The road will turn right (north); shortly afterwards, take the right-hand fork and proceed along the edge of the woods.
This is the area from which the 354th regiment (part of the 89th division) attacked on November 1 1918. Although the front line angled south-west (following the edge of the Bois de Batheville), the attack proceeded straight north toward the La Dhuy farm on the other side of a rise. The 354th field HQ during late October was in the woods approximately 100 yards to the right, in a large German bunker. Martin was in the second wave to go “over the top”; his battalion followed the assault battalion at a distance of about 1500 yards.
Continue to follow the farm lane as it curves to the left into the town of Landres-et-St. Georges. This town was a strong point in the German line, and was taken by the 42nd division on the left of the 89th. Turn right and then turn right again on D24 and proceed to La Dhuy farm.
La Dhuy farm was another German strongpoint, supporting several machine gun nests. The first German prisoners that came through the lines were machine gun crews from this farm, and Martin probably saw them. Martin’s battalion passed over this ground following the assault battalion heading north toward Remonville, under heavy shell fire the entire time.
Continue eastward along D24, and turn left, following the D12 into the village of Remonville (multiple T&N)
This road follows the line of advance of the 354th toward Remonville. The Germans had built barricades in the streets out of furniture and other material, and apparently were hoping to engage the Americans in house-to-house fighting. But the strategy was to encircle the town and attack from all sides, which apparently was successful. Several members of Martin’s regiment won medals for bravery in the process of subduing Remoncourt. The 354th War Diary states that 80 prisoners were taken.
Take the D4 northward out of Remoncourt and into the Bois de Barricourt.
Immediately before reaching the edge of the forest, the 3rd battalion (which included Company “I”) leapfrogged the 1st battalion and took over as the assault battalion. Moreover, company “I” was in the front line. The land that lay ahead was heavily defended and perfect for inflicting mass casualties on an attacking force. In the middle of this forest was the “Heights of Barricourt,” the last major ridgeline before the Meuse river. Militarily this was a key objective; when the supreme commander of the French Army heard that the heights had been captured, he said “the war is over.” Martin’s battalion, with Martin’s company in the very front lines, pushed through this woods, captured the heights, and came out the other side in the late afternoon, all the time under heavy shell and machine gun fire. The weather deteriorated and became cold and foggy.
On the other side of the Bois de Barricourt, the D4 descends toward the village of Barricourt (T&N). About halfway to the village is a sharp bend to the left.
Half-way between the edge of the forest and this bend is where the front-line forces stopped for the night, taking cover in the huge shell holes left by the American artillery barrage early that morning. There were still many German machine-gun nests in the hills all around them, and large German patrols were moving about in the fog. Sleep probably was not an option. The next morning (Nov. 2) the plan was to push ahead following an artillery barrage, but unknown to the field commanders, much of the artillery had been withdrawn for use elsewhere. When the barrage failed to occur at the agreed time, there was confusion and Martin’s battalion commander did not order them to attack. Later in the day, Martin’s battalion was ordered to attack without a barrage, but once again the commander did not follow the order. The regiment immediately to the right (the 353rd) did attack without a barrage, and the first group of soldiers that left the treeline was mowed down by machine gun fire. Later in the afternoon, Martin’s battalion was able to advance slightly, and overnight the Germans withdrew from Barricourt; the next morning the 3rd battalion was leapfrogged by the second, and Martin’s company went into reserve and rested in the trenches around Barricourt.
Follow the D4 into Nouart, and then take the D946 northeast. There is a turnoff to the Champys (D304), two villages that were captured with much bloodshed by other members of Martin’s regiment. Take the next left (a dirt road), and follow it toward Beaufort. Across the fields to the left is the Maucourt farm, which was the HQ of the 354th infantry during the last few days of the war. Follow the road straight through Beaufort (should be paved for awhile) and then in the northern edge of the village, take the fork to the left. The road will bend around to the left, cross a stream, and then will enter a small grove of trees.
On November 11 at 11AM, the armistice took effect and the fighting stopped. At this moment, Martin’s battalion was located at les Hautes Bruyeres (“the high moors”),just to the south of the grove of trees, having been sent back from the Meuse near Pouilly when it became apparent in the mid-morning that the war was about to end.
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