RELIEF BY THE 7TH DIVISION
THE 7th Division relieved the 90th Division during the period of October 8-10, the command passing at
11 P. M., October 10. The 14th Infantry Brigade took the place of the 179 th Brigade: the 34th Infantry,
of the 358th Infantry; the 64th Infantry, of the 357th Infantry; the 13th Brigade, of the 180th Brigade;
the 55th Infantry, of the 359 Infantry: the 56th Infantry, of the 360th Infantry; the 5th Engineers, of the
315th Engineers: the 10th Field Signal Battalion, of the 315th Field Signal Battalion; and the 19th
Machine Gun Battalion, of the 343d Machine Gun Battalion.
The area to which the Division moved on coming out of line was practically the same as that
which had been used for staging purposes on moving from Aignay-le-Duc into the line. Battalions were
billeted in practically the same towns as before: Division Headquarters, the 315th Engineers, the 315th
Field Signal Battalion, and the Headquarters Troop, however, went to Lucey. The distance from the
front line to the new area was so great that the troops staged two nights en route, stopping the first night
at the camps in the Puvenelle woods or around Martincourt, the second night being spent in the half-way
towns at Avrainville and Francheville.
Intimations that something was in store for the Division were conveyed by the corps order that
the relief must be completed and all units assembled in the billeting area by noon of the 12th. In order to
carry out these instructions, it was necessary to send trucks to Griscourt the morning of the 12th to move
the personnel of Company C, 345th Machine Gun Battalion, the last unit to be relieved. This company
was doing duty in the front line with the 359th Infantry, and was not relieved the night of October 11, as
was intended, owing to the fact that the corresponding unit from the 7th Division became lost in the
woods. Hence it was necessary for the company to get out in the daytime. However, they safely filtered
across “Death Valley” before night, and went into billets at Griscourt.
View showing French tanks passing through Rampont.
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