IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS 2019 1st Edition

Company "H", 116th Infantry, 29th Division, AEF 1917-1919

My interest in visiting France began about time I began work on the Until It's Over (UIO) story map, which was late winter 2017. I knew that I had a challenge in front of me. First-person accounts, detailing the experiences of Company "H", were not known to exist at that time. Making this matter worse, my grandfather said little of the war. Much of a soldier's experience in war is shaped by the things that seem small compared to the flash and fury of battle. This would include the sights and smells, the shape of the land (or terrain), the wind, sun, and rain, the people, and of course the food (and drink). Because of this, traveling to France and walking in my grandfather’s footsteps became an obsession. There are well known First World War battlefields, museums, and cemeteries in France, which are frequented by bus tours based in Paris. But the research behind the UIO story map, along with guidance from individuals in the US and France, provided sufficient information to narrow the focus to the areas that were significant for Company "H". However, with planning, schedules, and financing as added challenges, it wasn't until September 2019 that travel to France would become a reality. My wife Paula became engaged in the effort, adding her well-honed skills to the logistics of the trip planning. An added dimension to the trip, would be the occasion of our 30th wedding anniversary. A 10-day trip was the rough plan, arriving in and departing from the Charles de Gaulle Airport, on the north edge of Paris. My wife wanted us to spend time in Paris at the beginning and end of the trip. This left the time in between for me to schedule. With this limited time, I could not accommodate visits to all

of the places visited by Company "H", well described in the story map. For this first trip, to I would have to focus on the two fighting fronts where Company "H" was assigned, prior to the Armistice being signed on November 11, 1918: this would be the Alsace countryside east of Belfort, and the hills northwest of Verdun. After arriving in France, we spent the first two nights at the Hotel du Printemps Paris. From there we made a day-trip to Versailles. This is one of the principal tourist attractions in France. As a result, Versailles was deluged by tourists from all over the world. Since the date of our visit was 9/10, security had already been ramped up and police and army patrols were plentiful. Dealing with crowd was made a little more challenging by the warm weather that day. The famous Hall of Mirrors in the main Palace was a must-see, as it hosted the signing of the Treaty of Paris, which officially ended World War 1.

The next stop of the trip was the region of Alsace east of Belfort. The high-speed train (TGV) departing the Paris Gare (station) de Lyon took us to the Gare Belfort Montbeliard TGV in about 2 hours.

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The farm country that our train travelled through, was beautiful. Most of land dedicated to cultivating cereal grains. There was some corn and soybeans, but not much from what I saw. The rest of the open country were dairy farms or managed woods (bois), or forests (forêt). In the Belfort area we used a 3-day schedule of travel/rest, local site-seeing, field trip, then departure (set around a 3-night hotel stay), which we would repeat in Verdun. The 3-night stay was at the Hôtel and restaurant Les Capucins. Like the Hotel du Printemps Paris, this was a small hotel away from the city center. Though the Hôtel restaurant Les Capucins hosted wonderful dining, our stay in Belfort was fueled by the local "street food" and

regional casual foods we found close to the hotel. This would include doner kebabs and flammekueche. Our thirst was handled exclusively by

L'ABC Bar, also near the hotel. During our one-day visit of local sites we stopped at: the Square de Souvenir, which hosted three memorials to French soldiers; le Lyon de Belfort (or The Lion of Belfort) at the Citadel; Place d'Armes (central town square); Cathedrale Saint-Christophe: Grand Hotel (see BELFORT RUSE); and finally the Gare Belfort or Belfort Train Station.

The following day, we headed to the country in a small car (Peugeot 208) which we rented up arrival at the TGV station when we arrived. Our objective was a tour of the small villages north and east of Belfort. Company "H" arrived in Valdoie on July 17, 1918, and over a 5+ week period, moved in a rough clock-wise fashion, ending in Belfort right before being ordered north. So the tour of villages followed the same approximate route. Some of these small villages had small memorials to French soldiers killed in World War 1 (la Grande Guerre). These memorials were erected at the churches, which were present in every small town immediately adjacent to the mayor (or Mairie) office, and the primary school. One exception was the Couvent de Bellemagny, or Convent of Bellegmangy.

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All of the little villages were beautiful, but it was in Buethwiller that I sensed my grandfather Everett, the strongest. In September 1918, Company “H” was billeted here while Company “F” was in the trenches just north in Balschwiller. The next day we boarded the TGV again and headed north, traveling east through Mulhouse, and then north through Colmar, Strasbourg, and Metz before ending at the Gare Meuse TGV. This trip was a total of about 3 hours. Like the train ride from Paris to Belfort, the train to Verdun took us through more beautiful farm country. The Meuse TGV Station is located about 30km south of Verdun, quite honestly in the middle of nowhere. I had failed to reserve a rental car in Verdun prior to our departure from the

US. However, my wife was able to secure a ride into Verdun from the hotel we would be staying at, Les Jardins du Mess. Like much of France, farms run right up to the edge of the city of Verdun. This town, actually a city but smaller than Belfort, is steeped in history, and it is visible everywhere. When we arrived at our hotel Les Jardins du Mess, we were struck by its classic beauty and charm, sitting right in the heart of Verdun on the Quai des Londres which is across Meuse from the Porte Chaussée. Shortly after arrival I learned that Les Jardins du Mess (the gardens of mess?) was actually an homage to the structure's legacy as the French Officer's Mess or dining facility.

Like our stay in Belfort, we chose to take our meals on the street. We were lucky enough to wander into the Pizzeria Tuscana on more than one occasion, as this restaurant seemed to be open earlier and later than the other restaurants in the area. The next day was our day to wander as much of the city as our energy and time would permit. The morning was spent walking the shops, memorials, and neighborhoods on the west bank of the Meuse. After a light lunch, my wife retired to the hotel for a nap, while I wandered north to chase down a mystery. Company "H" was relieved from the fighting north and east of Molleville Farm on October 28th,1918. That day they marched to a neighborhood or small ville on east side of Verdun, Faubourg Pave. There they spent only 24 hours or so

there before continuing their movement away from the front. Modern maps and written histories provide little information about Faubourg Pave, showing only that it is host to a French military cemetary. A walk east on Rue d'Etain, or Avenue de la 42ÈME Division, took me past the Eglise Saint Jean Baptist, or the Church of Saint John the Baptist. The main church structure was erected in 1884. This was severely damaged during World War 1. Since the Rue d'Etain is one of two streets that run into Faubourg Pave, I decided there was at least half a chance that Company "H" passed this church.

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After continuing on Rue d'Etain, I turned north at the Cemetary, and then west on Avenue Miribel. Soon I found myself in front of a large iron gate. Looking south through this gate I saw large compound or campus of significant age. I attempted to learn more about the this by speaking with two local residents, but my French was too poor to achieve anything. Later that day, after returning to the hotel, I spoke with Sebastian the concierge and learned that he was a young veteran of the French Army. I described the compound that I came across in Faubourg Pave. Sebastian was eager to help solve the mystery, and after he made a quick internet search, he learned that the compound was actually the Caserne Miribel. In 1918 an additional Caserne Radet was adjacent on the south side of Caserne Miribel. These Casernes or

barracks, had considerable open grounds around them. My mystery may have been solved: I now suspect that these casernes had sufficient space to allow a number of troops to briefly bivouac while being fed and receiving cursory medical care. The next morning, my wife and I rented a car (Seat Alahambra) in Verdun, and set out on the last day of my walk “in their footsteps". Traveling west, we soon passed through Fromereville, then traveled north to Germonville, which now is a quiet little crossroads with cultivated farm land all around. By the time Company "H" passed through here, there was a small rail head present, allowing supplies to be moved forward during the Meuse Argonne Campaign. Passing through Germonville and over a bridge, we located a gravel road which would take us west for about 3/4 of a mile. We stopped and turned onto a tractor path, now looking south directly at the Bois Bouchet.

After parking the car, I walked into the Bois Bouchet. This is one of the many "woods" throughout France, managed by the regional government, to ensure a supply of firewood used for heating rural homes in the winter months. This timber management was present before WW1, and is still active now.

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The trees here are not mature, appearing to be harvested when they reach 7-12 years in age. This wooded area was where Company "H" (and possibly all of 116th Infantry Regiment) spent a few days resting and preparing for their part in an attack east of the Meuse. This wooded area was quiet, except for the chatter from the birds, mice, and chipmunks moving about. Again, the feeling of my grandfather's presence returned. From here we traveled east, back toward the Meuse River valley. My plan was to drive north, staying on the west of the Meuse until we reached Regneville. At this point I still believed that Company “H” crossed the Meuse River there. But my wife wisely pointed out the smaller one-lane farm roads were busy with grain trucks moving the harvest to granaries and silos. So instead we crossed the Meuse at Charny and Bras-Sur-Meuse, and drove north passing through Vacherauville, before entering Samogneux, roughly mid-morning. It was not until we returned from France that I learned the Company “H” had, in fact, crossed the Meuse at Charny, then came to the canal via Samogneux. This had been drained by the French some years before. Company "H", along with the rest of the 2nd Battalion was sent into the dry canal bed to await the beginning of the 29th Divisions assault north. This began the next morning, October 8, 1918 at 0530 hrs. Samogneux was largely destroyed by this point, including the church. The church that we saw there had been built sometime after the war.

Back into the car and we continued north-west. We passed through the village of Brabant, referenced often in written histories of the 29th Division. Unfortunately, we did not have time to stop for a close look. Soon we passed a German Cemetery on our right. Arriving in Consenvoye, our stomachs said it was lunch time. We learned the nearby restaurant wasn't open yet. But quickly we discovered that the only fuel station sold the standard snacks, but also had a baguette dispensing machine in the parking lot. From there, with our lunch in hand, we headed north-east toward Molleville Farm. The road leading there has a history as bloody as the place itself, and I was aware of this as I drove along. My best efforts to take a "shortcut" via a logging road, were stymied by my wife's reluctance to risk damaging the rental car. We arrived at the north-west edge of the Molleville Farm clearing, which was also the boundary between the 115th and 116th Regiments during their battle to wrest control from the Austrians, and then the Germans. We parked the car on the north side of the road (D19), adjacent to the logging trail running north. Few words could be used to describe my feelings as I looked out across the now beautiful sun-drenched landscape, that was once

such a scene of suffering for so many. We took a few photographs, including one of a lone poppy growing where the cultivated land bordered the woods.

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We then turned our attention to the logging trail where we parked. The trail running north, took us into the southern end of the Bois de la Grande Montagne. This area was the northern extent of the 29th Division's advance. Almost immediately, a pattern of depressions or swales became visible on both the east and west side of the trail. The symmetry of these depressions belied their origins. The rectangular positions were of uniform shape and had an overlapping distribution, but they were not interconnected. With my limited knowledge of the design and construction of German defensive positions, I was unable to determine exactly what they were. However, nearby laying on the surface of the ground, was a fragment of what appeared to be a French 75mm artillery round.

At this point it was well after noon, and we had one final location to visit. Back into the car we went, and traveled only 1/2 mile east on D19, where we turned south-east onto a logging road. I knew from Google Streetview that this road was gated access to numbered timber lots, apparently managed by the French government. I was delighted to see that the gate was open! We drove slowly, studying the condition of the logging road. It appeared to be well maintained. Our navigational aids indicated that the circular truck turn-out we found, was where we should park and I would begin my hike. The

trail I found was marked on either side with lot numbers. These would later prove helpful in confirming the location. The hill was steep, but the hike was brief. Near the summit I noticed sections of ground along the trail which were torn up. A closer inspection revealed split-hoof prints, both large and small. Having seen feral pig sign before in Ohio, I suspected that sanglier (boar) were nearby.

At the summit I found a mixture of shell holes and defensive positions. It was here that Company "H" had overrun German positions, then fought off counter attacks for over 24 hours. After finding another pair of timber lot numbers, decided to head back down the hill. Again, these would later prove helpful in confirming the location, and allow me to

nail down where I had been. I returned to the car and we headed out of the forest. As we neared the paved road (D19), I noticed something dark lying on the logging trail which I hadn't notice before. It appeared to be boar scat.

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We made our way back down to Consenvoye. From there we headed north-west to our final destination of the day, the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery near Romagne-sous-Montfaucon. The drive north and west from Consenvoye took us through numerous little towns, each prominent in the history of the AEF. In less than an hour we arrived at the west entrance to the Cemetery. For three years I worked on this effort, all the while trying to avoid hero worship and constantly memorializing the dead. With the limited time that I had to devote to the project, I felt these things were a distraction from the focus I needed to maintain on researching, mapping, and then telling the story of Company "H". But now, having left Etraye Ridge and arriving at the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, I quickly overwhelmed by a sense of the immense loss from this war. As we drove through the west gate, my wife and I were Immediately struck by the stark beauty of the Cemetery, noting the thoughtful design, construction, and maintenance of this memorial to and final resting place of so many. Though my grandfather, as well as most of Company "H", survived the war, I now felt it was time to turn to those "Alleghany Boys" that died in France.

Since I had done little homework on the Cemetery itself, my wife wisely guided us to the visitor's center. Official 29th Division records indicate that Company "H" had 11 men killed in action. A review of the ABMC records, from their iPhone app, indicated that only 3 of those

were accounted for in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery. Where were the other 8? There was a significant movement after the war, to repatriate the remains of AEF who died in France.

This might account for some of the remaining 8 KIA, but it is possible that others rest in different cemeteries, or were recorded as missing in action while company "H" was east of Belfort. It will take further future research to learn the fate of these remaining 8 KIA. The ABMC iPhone app did provide the locations of where in the Cemetery, there grave markers could be found.

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We noticed that Dakota L. Watts was buried here, but the other two referenced (Joseph A. Byers and Carl E. Marshall), were not. Instead they were referenced to the loggias adjacent to the Chapel, at the far end of the Cemetery. We were not yet sure of what this meant, as we left the visitor center. Due to the advancing hour, we decided to drive around to the Chapel. There we discovered that the names Joseph A. Byers and Carl E. Marshall were inscribed on the walls honoring those who were missing in action. This, as we read, meant that their remains were never

recovered though accounts indicated that they were in fact killed in action.

Stepping away from the chapel we looked down over the thousands of grave markers arrayed with uniform precision. Soon we found the marker for Dakota L. Watts. I don't know if I will ever learn if any of the 11 KIA from Company "H" were friends of my Grandfather. Everett C. Kemper, like most combat

survivors, knew that they escaped death because others around them were killed. Simply put, the surviving veterans believe their buddies caught a bullet or piece of artillery shell, that otherwise would have found them. After some reflection, my wife and I drove back to Verdun. That evening, while brooding over the experience Company "H" had in the war, I became overwhelmed by the irony of their suffering juxtaposed to our comfortable, even luxurious, visit to France. My wife assuaged my guilt by reminding me that my grandfather wouldn't have wanted it any other way. And so we drank on, while enjoying the now peaceful street scene next to the Meuse River and the hotel Les Jardins du

Mess.

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