Name/Title
StereographEntry/Object ID
2023.055.3.0165Description
A black and white stereograph. Image is two soldiers examining a machine gun - one soldier is holding the weapons open while another is observing from the side. Above the image "W238 (Star)" is printed, below the image "V19268 Captured German machine Guns on Road from Villers-Cotterets to Soissons." is printed, to the left of the image "Keystone View Company Copyrighted, Underwood & Underwood, Inc. Manufacturers MADE IN U.S.A. Publishers" is printed, to the right of the image "Meadville, Pa., New York, N. Y., Chicago, Ill., London, England." is printed. On the reverse the following is printed:
V19268
CAPTURED GERMAN MACHINE GUNS ON ROAD FROM VILLERS-COTTERETS TO SOISSONS
This water-jacketed German Maxim gun, standing, with a hillock of reserve ammunition beside it, in a concealed position along the Villers-Cotterests (pronunciation) and Soissons (pronunciation) road, must have been taken in battle sometime between July 18th and 22nd, 1918.
In every battle of the World War machine guns played a leading part, but it became more and more important part as the struggle continued. The Germans especially steadily increased the number of their machine guns as their man power diminished, seeking to make up with them for the decreasing number of rifles. In all the great battles of 1918 in which Americna troops took part, one of their hardest tasks was to overcome German machine gun resistence. Great numbers of brave men were killed or maimed in such fighting.
In the attack south of Soissons one regiment captured more than 100 machine guns. One instance alone out of many will give an idea of the quality of courage dispayed in the capture of nearly every one of these venomous weapons. Edward F. Phelan, a corporal of Co. E. 23rd Infantry, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for "extrodinary heroism in action near Vierzy, France, July 18, 1918. Corp. Phelan voluntarily left the assualting wave of his company and, single handed, captured or killed the entire crew of a concealed machine gun position, which was delivering a terrific and accurate fire upon his comrades from the right flank. his timely and gallant act drew the first of the machine gun from his comrade until they were able to find shelter an saved the lives of many of the assaulting wave."Collection
Photograph Collection