Operations Report from Major Marvin H. Gates to the Commanding Officer, 129th Field Artillery

Headgrs. 2nd. Bn. 139th.F.A 8th. Oct. 1918 expo RECORDS From: comm. Officer, 2nd. Bn. 129th. F. A. SERVICE" Co. TO: comm Officer. 139th. F. A. Subject: Operations report Sept. 26th. to Oct. 2nd. Ino 1. sept. 26th. Battalion opened fire on barbed wire in front of enemy front line at 4:20 A.M. Fire continued on wire and barrage till 7:41 A.M. Battalion moved out at 8:30 A.M. on road to Boureuilles, but were held up four hours, the road bridge at Boureuilles having been blown up by the Boche in their retreat. A new rosd around bridge was followed and Battalion took up position 1 Kilo northeast of Boureuilles for the night. While east of Boureuilles Battalion was under shell fire for a short time resulting in the loss of several horses and the wounding of two men. The road between Boureuilles and wood was extremely soft and heavy, as a result men and horses were extremely fatigued on their arrival at the position. 3. Sept. 27th. Battalion in position in wood northeast of Boureuilles. Guns laid on Charpentry. During morning Battalion moved out an d took up new position on the west edge of Cheppy. Fire was opened at 1:30 P.M. at a range of 3000 yards and was continued intermittently with barrages during the afternoon, having as objectives, machine guns and territory in and around Charpentry. Aeroplanes dropped bombs and used machine gun fire on batteries late in the evening This resulted in the killing of two horses. Battery positions were noved after dark to new position slightly in rear of those taken up earlier in the day. 3. Sept. 28th. Fire continued from position occupied earlier in the night using Very and Montrabeau woode as objectives. Region north of Montrabeau woods shelled again and again during day. Barrages delivered along line X 01-X02 Y 80 a number of times on a hurry call. Not much shell fire near position during day. One man wounded but not seriously. Men rested and horses in fair condition. Late in the evening ranges began to increase until enemy lines almost receded to a point out of range from present positions. 4. sept. 29th. Battalion remained in position on west edge of Cheppy. Little activity on either our part or the part of the Boche. Nothing special to report.