=WITH GENERAL DE MITRY’S ARMY.=
=3rd Corps = =Major-General Robert L. Bullard.=
comprising:
28th Division (_see composition, p. 32._)
32nd “ _ “ “ p. 32._
3rd “ _ “ “ p. 13._
77th “ _ “ “ p. 35._
After establishing bridge-heads north of the Vesle, the 3rd Corps was withdrawn
from the front on September 8.
=Mentioned in the French Army Order of the Day.=
=302nd Regiment of Engineers=: “_Under the command of Colonel Sherill this
regiment, on September 6, 1918, built a bridge in three hours across the
Vesle under artillery fire, thus allowing the French artillery to cross
the river at the beginning of the operations, contributing thereby to
the success of the offensive."_
The Results of the Allies’ Counter-Offensive.
In three weeks the Germans had lost all their gains of May 27th to July
15th, the Crown Prince’s salient made at terrible cost was flattened
out, while the Allies’ captures included more than 18,000 German
prisoners and 700 guns.
The French reserves, so far from being entirely used to make good the
losses in the ranks of the line troops, as the German High Command
believed, had taken the counter-offensive. Only a very small portion
(two divisions) of the British reserves had taken part in the battle.
Conversely, the Bavarian reserves had been rushed up from the region of
Lille to the Aisne. Finally, whilst Ludendorff was compelled to give up
his projected offensive in Flanders, Foch began a new battle between the
Oise and the sea. The second battle of the Marne had thus far-reaching
consequences. From that time until the Armistice, when they capitulated,
the Germans were everywhere out-manœuvred and beaten.
In the course of the battle the aeroplanes and tanks vied with the
infantry in valour and intrepidity. From July 15 to 20, French, British
and American aviators attacked the enemy unceasingly, flying in all
weathers, sometimes in violent storms, as on July 17. In less than a
week, in addition to the losses inflicted on the enemy infantry and
artillery, the Allied aviation services destroyed or drove down out of
control 137 German aeroplanes and 23 observation balloons, besides
dropping 222 tons of bombs on enemy objectives.
The French tanks, on their side, performed wonders, causing great havoc
and spreading demoralisation in the enemy ranks.
One disabled tank-driver (Corporal Chevrel) surrounded by Germans held
out for thirty-six hours, while another (Corporal Cellier), with the
help of fifteen Americans, captured 700 Germans, including fourteen
officers and a colonel, and two guns.
[Illustration: MAJOR-GENERAL CHAS. T. MENOHER.