Another week and we had driven the Germans across the River Aire. We
remained in a clump of woods until October 16th and then, not even
waiting for our engineers to throw their bridges across the Aire, we
waded the river and drove against Grand-Pre, which was the keystone of
the enemy defense in the sector opposed by our division.
[Illustration: _U. S. Official Photo_
_The Ruined Prize--Grand-Pre, Captured October 16th, 1918_]
We were stubbornly opposed by the 253d German Infantry of the 76th
Reserve Division. Again and again we assaulted the position and finally,
after a running fight thru the streets, the town was ours and the
American wedge was in a fair way to split the entire German defense.
We pulled out of the line on October 17th and withdrew 10 kilometres to
a small forest near Apremont, being relieved by the 78th New Jersey
Division. As usual, there was no rest, and on October 21st we moved to
Fleville for a three-day stretch of trench digging. October 31st was
spent in digging trenches in the Chattel Valley.
We resumed our activities at the front on November 2d, keeping in mind
that half injunction, half promise, credited to General Pershing: "Hell,
Heaven, or Hoboken by Christmas!" We gave little thought to Heaven and
less to Hell but, we were beginning to long for Hoboken, and we went
forward with irresistible determination. Hiking _via_ St. Juvin to
Thenorgues, we loaded into motor trucks. Unloading close to the lines,
we swung into immediate action and on November 3d we wrested the village
of Fontenoy from the 45th German Reserve Division, the following day
capturing the village of Oches from the 76th German Reserve Division.