WW1 1918 photo postcard ruins of Verdun France (U.S. 140th Regiment)

$50.00 CAD

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RPPC photo postcard of ruins of Verdun. Soldiers on cleared streets looking at completely demolished buildings. This was part of a postcard lot belonging to member of American 140th infantry Regiment, 35th Division.

At bottom, photo labeled “RUINS OF VERDUN”. The Battle of Verdun fought from 21 February to 18 December 1916 on the Western Front in France. The battle was the longest of the First World War and took place on the hills north of Verdun-sur-Meuse. In France, the battle came to symbolise the determination of the French Army and the destructiveness of the war.

The 140th fought at the Battle of Saint-Mihiel from 12–15 September 1918, a short distance from Verdun.

Toned back.

Unused.

(Red text is an electronic watermark that is not physically part of the photo for sale)

 

On June 29, 1917, the regiment was reactivated for service in the First World War when it consolidated with elements of the 3rd Missouri to create the 140th Infantry in October 1917. The new regiment was assigned to the 35th Division. Within the 35th Division they were assigned to the 70th Brigade alongside the 139th Infantry. Companies of the regiment were drawn primarily from the southeast of the state...The regiment organized and trained in the United States at Camp Doniphan, Oklahoma and then shipped out for France where it began training under British tutelage in June 1918. In July, the 140th had its first taste of combat in the Gérardmer sector in the Vosges Mountains, where they conducted raids on German forces. They were moved to the Saint-Mihiel sector in September where they served as a reserve for the First Army. The regiment soon participated in the Meuse-Argonne offensive, the largest battle the American Expeditionary Forces waged during the war. After five days of intense battle, they were relieved by elements of the 1st Division and were placed in the Sommedieue sector where they launched harassing attacks on the enemy positions until the Armistice ended the war.

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