It was in the region that the tourist is about to visit that the
Americans performed, at heavy cost, one of their most glorious feats of
arms. The many graves seen on the way make the journey a veritable
pilgrimage.
_Leaving Château-Thierry by the Avenue Clemenceau (N. 3), pass under the
railway bridge_, taking another glance at the completely destroyed
hamlet of Courteau on the left. At the top of the stiff rise, _leave the
main road (which runs to the left), and go straight along G.C. 9 towards
Belleau and Torcy_. On the left the road skirts the Roches Wood, where
many shell-torn trees are lying on the ground. Numerous shell-holes are
visible on either side of the road.
The farm-houses around here are in ruins. The clumps of trees,
alternated with fields, which skirt the road, all bear marks of heavy
shelling. Shelters will be noticed all along the road. _Leave on the
right the “Chemin Vicinal” (poor condition), leading to_ Etrepilly,
which the Americans attacked and captured on July 20, 1918.
At about 2-1/2 miles from the fork where the tourist left the N. 3, =Hill
190= becomes plainly visible on the right. It is a bare eminence, full of
shell holes. The panorama on pages 50, 51 was taken from there.
(_To reach Hill 190, leave the car at “milestone” No. 4, where the road,
at the edge of a small wood, begins to descend. After following a
hawthorn hedge for about five minutes the top of the hill will be
reached._)
[Illustration: VISIT TO BELLEAU WOOD (28 miles).]
[Illustration: PANORAMA OF BELLEAU WOOD]
In the above photograph (from left to right) are seen: the village of
=Bouresches=, between two small hills; =Belleau Wood=, in the middle; the
villages of =Belleau= and =Torcy=; and the hamlet of =Givry= on the right.
This region was grimly defended on June 1, 1918, by the “Devil’s
Regiment,” as the Germans surnamed the 152nd French line regiment, on
account of its daring exploits. Outflanked on June 2, this regiment was
forced to withdraw from Torcy and Belleau to =Belleau Wood=, which was
abandoned only after a heroic defence, and when the position was on the
point of being turned. On June 3, after reforming behind the line of
support furnished by the Americans, they counter-attacked Belleau Wood,
advanced in spite of fierce counter-attacks by the enemy, and held all
gains until night-fall, when they were relieved by the Americans. On
June 7, =Bouresches= was retaken by the Allies. On the 8th, the Americans
repulsed a violent attack extending from Belleau Wood to Le Thiolet,
along a two-mile front. On the 9th, they broke up a new German attack
near Bouresches. From June 10 to 26, fierce fighting enabled them to
improve their positions. On the latter date they took 240 prisoners
south of Torcy and 264 in Belleau Wood. On the 25th, they completed the
capture of this wood.