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Two ‘atmospheric’ action photos of American soldiers in Battery ‘C’ of the 65th Artillery C.A.C , under the command of Sgt. Colvin, operating Gun #4, a 9-2 howitzer, during battle of Verdun in October 1918.
The 65th Battery C was raised from Oregon National Guard.
Written on top borders ‘Ours’, on bottom border “Ramming 9.2 shell” and on other “Ready to Fire 9.2”
Typed on back of one photo:
No. 4 gun under Sgt. Colvin at Verdun. Ramming a shell and putting in powder charge preparatory to firing.
Bat. “C” 65th. Art. C.A.C.
Some hinge remnants on back. One clipper corner.
3 ½ x 2 ½"
...the Adjutant General of the Army ordered the organization of six new Coast Artillery Regiments to go to Europe as part of the American Expeditionary Force. These regiments were the 54th, 55th, 56th, 59th, 60th and 65th Coast Artillery...
...Fort Winfield Scott in San Francisco, California. Under the command of Col. Callan on February 28, 1918 the 65th Artillery were mustered together for the first time....
By March 2, 1918 the entire 65th Artillery.. sailed to New York by way of the Panama Canal…on March 16 eased into the docks in Hoboken, New Jersey..
The Mauretania steamed into Liverpool, England on April 1, 1918... By the morning of April 6, the 65th Artillery was in the congested harbor of Le Havre, France.
Now the 65th Artillery was separated with the First Battalion consisting of Batteries A and B, the Second Battalion consisting of Batteries C and D and the Third Battalion with Batteries E and F, were assigned billets in three different French cities. Once they were settled in their new billets they learned that they would be assigned to British 9.2-inch Howitzers. It was during this next 70-day period that the training was undertaken in learning how to operate and fire these British Howitzers.
Verdun Offensive
The guns were again taken from their positions on October 4th and made ready for another forward move, which began the next day on receipt of orders to proceed at once to Verdun. In compliance with these orders the truck train left for that station at 10:00 p.m., reaching its destination on the 6th at 5:00 a.m. Positions were at once prepared and the guns installed ready for action, and the next day the Howitzers were also placed in position, the enemy keeping up and intermittent shellfire until nightfall without doing any material damage. Our batteries commenced firing on the 8th at 5:00 a.m., and ceased at 9:00 a.m. while the Germans put in the whole day shelling our positions, with no casualties excepting the slightly wounding of some of the Medical Corps men.
On the 9th are batteries fired intermittently both day and night, which was slowly kept up by Battery C alone during the next 24 hours, while the high explosive shells from the enemy positions landed close to our guns, but only two slight casualties resulted. During the 11th Battery C again fired intermittently throughout the day, while the Germans retaliated with a slight shellfire without serious effect and on the 12th this Battery continued in action day and night. It slowed up the next day, however, firing only five shots between 6:00 and 7:00 a.m., and soon thereafter orders to move to a new position were issued, and that night the change was affected, the guns being duly installed in new positions on the 14th.
The enemy batteries began firing on both personnel and gun positions the next day, destroying a Mark I with three 9.2-inch shells through a direct hit, but no casualties of men reported. On the 18th the gas alarm was sounded, but nothing of a very serious nature occurred, although a few of the men were caught while asleep, and were sent to the hospital for resuscitation.
By way of further comment, I will state that positions were taken on the east bank of the Meuse on the famous French battleground to the north of Verdun, and just to the rear of the famous French fort of Douaumont. The Regiment operated in support of the 17th French Army Corps in a purely local but difficult action. In this sector the Germans were unusually active, shelling of Batteries was unusually heavy.
This was one of the most difficult of all the battles the Battalion was in, being under such heavy fire at times. Credit at all times seems to be due to the everlasting coolness and precision of the American soldier, who seemed to know no fear in whatever position he might be occupying.
https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~cacunithistories/military/65th%20Arty.html
