Capture of Epieds, 7/22-7/24/1918

On July 22 the entire 52nd Brigade attacked Epieds twice only to be pushed back both times with heavy casualties from German machine gun fire. Overnight more than 1,000 artillery shells fell on the 52nd Brigade’s Command Post and the next day the 52nd was again repulsed in a third attack against Epieds, the vigorous defense of which proved to be merely a rear-guard holding action by the enemy while the main German forces withdrew. By July 24, 1918 the German withdrawal from Epieds was complete and the town was finally taken…