Post by 1886lebel on Aug 28, 2009 8:55:25 GMT -8
The Last Letter of 2nd Lieutenant George Le Balle who served with the 151ème Régiment d'Infanterie de Ligne had graduated with the Class of 1913 and just turned 21 when he was killed on August 22, 1914 at Barlieux in the Battle of Pierrepont. His final letter was found close to his body.
22 August 1914.
My dear Parents and greatly-loved little Sisters,
When you receive this card, your little boy will be no more. Making a patrol with 6 men, a bullet was fired a few meters away from me, which severed the artery in my thigh. So, abandoned, I have lived for another 24 hours and have been in God's embrace, where I will find you again sooner or later. So don't cry too much and pray for me.
Well, my last thoughts will be of you and of God! I kiss you for the last time, very long and tenderly.
Your little boy and kid brother saying, see you again in eternity.
GEO.
Battle of Pierrepont/Baslieux
22 August: The 151 is placed as an advanced guard to the 42nd D.I., leaving Xivry-Gircourt at dawn in the direction of Saint-Supplet. Upon reaching Saint-Supplet, Colonel Deville orders the regiment to split into two forces: the 6th and 7th Companies move forward to Pierrepont in a northwest direction while the 5th and 8th Companies move northeast toward Boismont. At 0800hrs, the 2nd Battalion (6th and 7th Companies) comes under enemy artillery fire with German batteries located on Lartimont Ridge and German infantry in position in Doncourt Wood. The regiment advances into Goemont Wood and Grandchamps Wood, however it is forced to take cover in the face of the fierce artillery fire, which inflicts heavy losses in the ranks.
At 0900hrs, the 7th Company launches a sortie in the direction of Doncourt Wood, reaching the objective and setting up position in the wood despite taking heavy losses. Meanwhile, the 6th Company makes an advance into Grandchamps Wood, it too suffering many casualties in doing so. With the officer cadre decimated, the order is given to fall back to Doncourt. At 0915hrs, the Germans counter-attack but their assault is broken once it reaches the French lines of defense, supported by the 61st R.A.D. (Divisional Artillery Regiment). The Germans fall back to the woods of Baslieux, Pierrepont, Tape and Doncourt.
The 151 is positioned in Goemont, a part of Grandchamps and le Fayet, checking the enemy advance and holding in position. The order is given for the men to shelter behind their backpacks, but the the mess-kits and boilers strapped to these only make them easier targets with the sun reflecting off them. Behind Beuveille, elements of the 42nd D.I. are also engaged with German forces. The colonel commanding the 132nd R.I. left a battalion on the right of the 151 as reinforcements, since the latter had suffered such heavy losses. General Veraux, commanding the 42nd D.I., now attempts to reinforce his advanced guard mainly composed of the 151. He orders the 162nd R.I. forward, with one of it's battalions directed to proceed to Goemont Wood, one to Grandchamps Wood and the last to the southwest of Pierrepont, where it will spend the entire day fending off German attacks.
The 94th R.I. occupies the ground northwest of the village of Boismont and makes it up to a point south of Baslieux and Bazailles. Around 1200hrs, combat erupts around Ville aux Montois, where the 94th is forced to fight on flat, open ground. Though suffering heavy losses, the 94th manages to check all German advances throughout the day. At 1300hrs, the German artillery destroys the Pierrepont railway station, as their infantry attack French positions in Grandchamps Wood and the village of Doncourt. The precise fire of German batteries force the French troops hugging the ground to dig shallow, individual shelters to protect themselves as shells continue to fall thick in their ranks.
Sensing the weaking of the French defence, the Germans launch another counter-attack. The 8th Company of the 151 is annihilated in the attack (only 12 survive). Fortunately, the machine-guns of the 25th B.C.P. and the 162nd R.I. inflict heavy casualties on the German assault waves and repulse the counter-attack. At 1730hrs, the combat comes to an end; the 151 has lost 800 men. At 1800hrs, a final order is given, "les enfants baïonette au canon" ("fix bayonets kids"), in payment of respect to its dead. At the end of the day, the French remain in position on the line where they had started off the day, with the general German advance checked. However, with the withdrawal of the 40th D.I. and the 42nd D.I. subsequently threatened with encirclement, the 42nd is ordered to the west bank of the Othain River.
22 August 1914.
My dear Parents and greatly-loved little Sisters,
When you receive this card, your little boy will be no more. Making a patrol with 6 men, a bullet was fired a few meters away from me, which severed the artery in my thigh. So, abandoned, I have lived for another 24 hours and have been in God's embrace, where I will find you again sooner or later. So don't cry too much and pray for me.
Well, my last thoughts will be of you and of God! I kiss you for the last time, very long and tenderly.
Your little boy and kid brother saying, see you again in eternity.
GEO.
Battle of Pierrepont/Baslieux
22 August: The 151 is placed as an advanced guard to the 42nd D.I., leaving Xivry-Gircourt at dawn in the direction of Saint-Supplet. Upon reaching Saint-Supplet, Colonel Deville orders the regiment to split into two forces: the 6th and 7th Companies move forward to Pierrepont in a northwest direction while the 5th and 8th Companies move northeast toward Boismont. At 0800hrs, the 2nd Battalion (6th and 7th Companies) comes under enemy artillery fire with German batteries located on Lartimont Ridge and German infantry in position in Doncourt Wood. The regiment advances into Goemont Wood and Grandchamps Wood, however it is forced to take cover in the face of the fierce artillery fire, which inflicts heavy losses in the ranks.
At 0900hrs, the 7th Company launches a sortie in the direction of Doncourt Wood, reaching the objective and setting up position in the wood despite taking heavy losses. Meanwhile, the 6th Company makes an advance into Grandchamps Wood, it too suffering many casualties in doing so. With the officer cadre decimated, the order is given to fall back to Doncourt. At 0915hrs, the Germans counter-attack but their assault is broken once it reaches the French lines of defense, supported by the 61st R.A.D. (Divisional Artillery Regiment). The Germans fall back to the woods of Baslieux, Pierrepont, Tape and Doncourt.
The 151 is positioned in Goemont, a part of Grandchamps and le Fayet, checking the enemy advance and holding in position. The order is given for the men to shelter behind their backpacks, but the the mess-kits and boilers strapped to these only make them easier targets with the sun reflecting off them. Behind Beuveille, elements of the 42nd D.I. are also engaged with German forces. The colonel commanding the 132nd R.I. left a battalion on the right of the 151 as reinforcements, since the latter had suffered such heavy losses. General Veraux, commanding the 42nd D.I., now attempts to reinforce his advanced guard mainly composed of the 151. He orders the 162nd R.I. forward, with one of it's battalions directed to proceed to Goemont Wood, one to Grandchamps Wood and the last to the southwest of Pierrepont, where it will spend the entire day fending off German attacks.
The 94th R.I. occupies the ground northwest of the village of Boismont and makes it up to a point south of Baslieux and Bazailles. Around 1200hrs, combat erupts around Ville aux Montois, where the 94th is forced to fight on flat, open ground. Though suffering heavy losses, the 94th manages to check all German advances throughout the day. At 1300hrs, the German artillery destroys the Pierrepont railway station, as their infantry attack French positions in Grandchamps Wood and the village of Doncourt. The precise fire of German batteries force the French troops hugging the ground to dig shallow, individual shelters to protect themselves as shells continue to fall thick in their ranks.
Sensing the weaking of the French defence, the Germans launch another counter-attack. The 8th Company of the 151 is annihilated in the attack (only 12 survive). Fortunately, the machine-guns of the 25th B.C.P. and the 162nd R.I. inflict heavy casualties on the German assault waves and repulse the counter-attack. At 1730hrs, the combat comes to an end; the 151 has lost 800 men. At 1800hrs, a final order is given, "les enfants baïonette au canon" ("fix bayonets kids"), in payment of respect to its dead. At the end of the day, the French remain in position on the line where they had started off the day, with the general German advance checked. However, with the withdrawal of the 40th D.I. and the 42nd D.I. subsequently threatened with encirclement, the 42nd is ordered to the west bank of the Othain River.
