Andersen, Roy

At one thirty A.M. July 8th Company "B" left its camp at La Croisette and fearing a bombardment, as the road had been heavily shelled previously, made a forced march to the woods near Montreuil, then to woods at Pessiloup, remaining there 'till July 16th. On July 18th the Company left Pessiloup, marching to Montreuil Aux Lions where it entrained in trucks about 11:00 P.M. and proceeded to Rethruil arriving about 4:00 in the afternoon of July 16th. From there the Company marched Via Tellefontain to the Bois de Retz, halting for a meal when the woods were reached and then continuing the march till past midnight, the last three hours in heavy rain. Early the next morning the Company continued it's march along the Chateau-Thierry - Soisson road to a point near Verte-Feuilles Farm. The day was spent in cleaning the roads and mending shell holes. In the last afternoon the Company advanced stopping in a ravine below Vaux Castille Farm until dark, then climbing the steep sides of the ravine carrying picks and shovels in addition to rifles and heavy packs and marching in a wide circle to the north of Vreizy [sic Vierzy], occupying a gap between the 9th, and 23rd Infantry, one and a half kilometers east of Vreizy. Trenches were hastily dug to fill the gap, the trenches being located on the reverse slope of a slight hill, in a position which the lightness of our casualties under heavy machine gun fire showed to be exceptionally well selected. The Company "Stood to" from an hour before dawn until danger of a surprise attack from the Germans was past. When the tanks and Marines went over, Company "B" had orders to follow in support. Two waves had been formed and were lying in front of the trenches ready to advance when orders were received, to remain in the trenches as reserves. The Company staid [sic] in the trenches all day, eating what little was left of the reserve rations - rations issued on the way in had consisted largely of evaporated potatoes, flour, lard and other materials requiring cooking had been left in the ravine. During the day Private Wilson of the Medical Corps attached to "B" Company, established initiative an advanced First Aid Post, securing to the wounded care several hours earlier than would other wise have been possible. Lieut. Grover, wounded in the head refused to have his injury dressed until other wounded were cared for. Pvt. Droesbeck, acting as runner was wounded in the head early in the day but insisted on carrying his message to destination, before being relieved. That night the Company was ordered out and at 2:30 A.M. July 20th, the Company left it's trenches - no longer in the first line - and returned to it's camp in the Forest de Retz.

(Sgd) Allard A. Dederer,
Captain, E.U.S.R.