Here's a photo I found in the US Signal Corps collection some years ago of "US tank #790 knocked out supporting 90th Division 25 October 1918 Ferme de la Madeleine in the Meuse area". It is in all probability from a supporting French unit, but the "US" marking is curious. I have a much poorer shot from the front (if I can find the negative!)
Since September 3th, 1918 the St Chamond Grouping n° XI from Cdt Herlaut (AS 34 - Cne Henri Deloncle and AS 35 - Cne Adrien Balland) was on the order of the American Army. On September 8th, 1918 - Grpt XI is under opcom 1th US Army Corps (AS 34 with 10° Brg - 5th DI US and AS 35 with 3° Brg- 2nd DI US )
12 Septmber - Grpt n° XI Fight in Regnieville sector with these two Divisions, and between 27 September to 4 October these tanks fight in Montfaucon's sector. I am, for instance, not able to say if it is an AS 34 or AS 35 tank.
On October 2th, 1918 - Grpt XI is under opcom of 3th US ID.
This photo (25 October) was probably done after these fights. The location (Ferme de la Madeleine) is good for this period (and this fights). For this French Tank units there is no JMO (Journal de Marche et Opérations) in S.H.D Vincennes. Some informations in 5th RAS JMO, when Grpt XI was on the order of this Regiment.
It's, probably, a breaking down tank destroyed by the artillery. There is no report speaking of St Chamond destroyed during action. On a very good photo, it will be, probably, possible to read the tank number (in white just in the middle of the tank). It's only the last 3 numbers. Série 5xx or 6xx for AS 34 et AS 35 Group.
On the map, with destroyed tanks around Montfaucon, are only report destroyed Renault FT and one Schneider . . . . Destroyed St Chamond are, perhaps, already pick up.
I have also a bad copy of a beaufitul photo coming from "Historical and Pictorial Review - 2nd Infantry Regiment - 5th ID". Members of the American HQ Division and AS 35 Group.
I hope it's the first one of a very long serie . . . . coming from United States !
Michel: I'm not sure which of the Signal Corps photos you have seen, so here's a few. I will post them separately. Here's a pic of US and French officers from Groupement XI, 8 October 1918, Blercourt during joint training.
The Recovery St Chamond (third photo) is near Cutry (and not Gutrey). This village is West of Missy-au-Bois. This tank was from Grpt XI or XII (SRR 105 or SRR 107). These 2 Grpt were fighting with the Big Red One.
The "Poilu" is a St Chamond from Groupe AS 34 (Grpt XI). As und Number are undknown. The number is under the front machine-gun (N 5xx or N6xx) It's probably possible to read it on a better photo. If the date is good (18 July 1918), this tank could not be there in Chavigny. If the village is good this photo was taken on July 23th, 1918. It was not the fight with the Big Red One (from 16 to 19/7/18) but an other one with the 58th French ID near Longpont. With the Big Red One, Grpt XI and XII were fighting in a sector north of La Glau's Farm and Cravençon's farm. It's probably a mistake on the caption of this photo by photographs of the Army signal Corps.
I exactly spoke of the first photo. It's a better quality and I have now a problem. For me, the French officer on left was a Lieutenant. It is probably a Lt-Colonel and, perhaps the Lt-Colonel Emile Wahl (1th AS Brigade Commander).
My own photo is larger on left with two other French officers. On the book, the French officers name given (from left to right) were : Cne Withers, Lt Threpenier, Lt Brandillon, Lt Barbant, Lt Fortin, Cne Halleck, Cne Deloncle and Cdt Herlaut.
I think that Herlaut is on right (with a stick) and Deloncle just behind him (with a beret). I am now not sure for the other. . . . . !
The First French As Brigade was under command of 1th American Army on September 9th, 1918. (Note n° 1926 P/1 Artilleried'Assaut/1° brigade/Etat-Major du 9 septembre 1918)
Ordre de Bataille de l'AS mise à la disposition de la 1° Armée US
Etat-Major de la 1° Brigade d'AS : Colonel Emile Wahl : Commandant de la 1° Brigade Capitaine Jean Perré : Officier Adjoint Lieutenant Alban de Virel : Officier Adjoint S/Lieutenant Lucien Chelli : Officier Adjoint
505° RAS :(225 Chars Renault FT)
Etat-Major du 505° RAS : Chef de Bataillon Mare : Commandant de la 1° Brigade Capitaine d'Armancourt : Officier Adjoint Lieutenant Moretton : Officier Adjoint technique S/Lieutenant Pernot : Officier Adjoint administratif
13° Bataillon de Chars Légers Chef de Bataillon Louis Duclos : Commandant du Bataillon Lieutenant Edmond Cosset : Officier Adjoint tactique S/Lieutenant Louis Récamier : Officier Adjoint technique S/Lieutenant Xavier Gistucci : Officier de liaison Médecin Auxiliaire L. Jondeau : Médecin
AS 337 Capitaine Gustave Liaras : Commandant de l'AS 337 Lieutenant Paul Hé : Chef de la 1° Section Aspirant Paul Barré : Chef de la 2° Section Lieutenant Gaëtan Cosset : Chef de la 3° Section Lieutenant Maurice Poullain : Chef de l'échelon
AS 338 Lieutenant Yves Laticule : Commandant de l'AS 338 Lieutenant Raoul Giraud : Chef de la 1° Section Lieutenant Georges Dewarin : Chef de la 2° Section S/Lieutenant Jean Frauchemont : Chef de la 3° Section Aspirant André Bigourdin : Chef de l'échelon
AS 339 Lieutenant H. Hamel : Commandant de l'AS 339
14° Bataillon de Chars Légers Chef de Bataillon J. Guillot : Commandant du Bataillon Lieutenant A. Paul : Officier Adjoint tactique Aspirant H. Bloch : Officier de liaison S/Lieutenant E. Bellanger : Officier Adjoint technique Médecin Auxiliaire Vergeau : Médecin
AS 340 Capitaine J. Maitre : Commandant de l'AS 340
AS 341 Capitaine J. Toutain : Commandant de l'AS 341
AS 342 Lieutenant A. Jacquot : Commandant de l'AS 342
14° Bataillon de Chars Légers Chef de Bataillon Eugène Richard : Commandant du Bataillon Lieutenant André Hallier : Officier Adjoint tactique S/Lieutenant Louis Frison : Officier Adjoint technique S/Lieutenant Henri Ratheaux : Officier de liaison Médecin Auxiliaire Louis Andoli : Medecin
AS 343 Cne Arnaud Brunet de Monthélie : Commandant de l'AS 343 Lieutenant Jacques Barnaud : Chef de la 1° Section S/Lieutenant Louis Latapie : Chef de la 2° Section Lieutenant Albert Vitu : Chef de la 3° Section S/Lieutenant Eugène Lévi : Chef de l'échelon
AS 344 Lieutenant Paul More-Chevalier : Commandant de l'AS 344 Lieutenant Jacques Goguyer : Chef de la 1° Section S/Lieutenant Sadi Solau : Chef de la 2° Section Lieutenant Camille Meyerfeld : Chef de la 3° Section S/Lieutenant André Seval : Chef de l'échelon
AS 345 Lieutenant Jean Ragaine : Commandant de l'AS 345 Lieutenant Jacques Mathieu : Chef de la 1° Section Lieutenant Gaston Prost : Chef de la 2° Section Lieutenant Jean Ménard : Chef de la 3° Section S/Lieutenant Gabriel Raffier : Chef de l'échelon
AS 104(Section de Ravitaillement et de Réparation)
Lieutenant Schmid : Commandant de la SRR 104
Groupement d'AS n° XI (27 chars Saint Chamond)
Chef de Bataillon Auguste Herlaut : Commandant du Groupement Capitaine Yves Rihouet : Officier Adjoint tactique Lieutenant Alexis Philippon : Officier Adjoint technique Lieutenant Henri Riboulet : Officier de liaison Lieutenant Charles Guillaume : Officier de liaison détaché au 505° RAS Lieutenant Auguste Augias : Officier d'approvisonnement Médecin Auxiliaire Roger Cavaillés : Medecin du Groupement
Groupe AS 34 Capitaine Henri Deloncle : Commandant du Groupe Lieutenant Edouard Bourdillon : Officier Adjoint tactique Lieutenant Henri Richard : Officier d'échelon
1° Batterie : Lieutenant Julien Barbant : Commandant de la 1° Batterie S/Lieutenant Alfred Duminil : Chef de la 1° Section S/Lieutenant Serge Quignard : Chef de la 2° Section
2° Batterie : Lieutenant Jean Donne : Commandant de la 2° Batterie S/Lieutenant Alfred Duminil : Chef de la 1° Section S/Lieutenant Serge Quignard : Chef de la 2° Section
3° Batterie : Lieutenant Pierre Thepenier : Commandant de la 3° Batterie S/Lieutenant Abel Setze : Chef de la 1° Section - : Chef de la 2° Section
Groupe AS 35 Capitaine Adrien Balland : Commandant du Groupe Lieutenant Henri Testulat : Officier Adjoint tactique Lieutenant Jean Claudel : Officier d'échelon
1° Batterie : Lt Philippe Guignabeaudet : Commandant de la 1° Batterie S/Lieutenant Alfred Dufraisne : Chef de la 1° Section - : Chef de la 2° Section
2° Batterie : Lieutenant Henri Durand : Commandant de la 2° Batterie S/Lieutenant Henri Lambert : Chef de la 1° Section S/Lieutenant Pierre Allard : Chef de la 2° Section
3° Batterie : Lieutenant Régis Seux : Commandant de la 3° Batterie S/Lieutenant Georges Baumann : Chef de la 1° Section S/Lieutenant Marcel Frortin : Chef de la 2° Section
AS 105 (SRR du Groupement XI)
Lieutenant André Chéroy : Commandant de la SRR 105 S/Lieutenant Alfred Toulleron : Officier Adjoint
Groupe AS 32 from Groupement XI, was not used by the american Army Groupement d'AS n° IV (27 chars Schneider)
Chefs d'Escadrons Chanoine : Commandant du Groupement Capitaine C. Gignoux : Officier Adjoint tactique S/Lieutenant L. Dupont : Officier de liaison S/Lieutenant L. Marcel : Officier Adjoint technique Médecin Auxiliaire Bernes-Lassere : Medecin
Groupe AS 14 Capitaine Liscoat : Commandant du Groupe
Groupe AS 17 Capitaine E. de Sainte-Pereuse : Commandant du Groupe
photo from Groupement XI during training with AEF, 8 Oct 18 near Blercourt
