It was on June 3, 1918, that the Americans took over the Belleau Wood sector. Like the Priest Wood near Pont-à-Mousson, Grurie Wood in Argonne, and the Sabot Wood in Champagne, Belleau Wood has become famous. The broken, rocky ground lends itself naturally to defence, and, by filling it with machine-guns, the Germans had made it well-nigh impregnable. [Illustration: SEEN FROM HILL 190.] The attack was begun on June 10, 1918, by the American Marine Brigade--the first of Uncle Sam’s units to land in France (June 27, 1917)--300 prisoners being taken. Operations were successfully continued on the 13th, when a powerful German counter-attack, with orders to drive out the Americans at all cost, was repulsed with heavy enemy loss. It was from Belleau Wood that, on July 18, 1918, the 26th American Division, which formed the pivot of General Degoutte’s army, set out on the Great Counter-Offensive. Its eagerness was such that it had to be restrained, to allow the wings to reach their assigned positions. Its first objective was the Torcy-Belleau-Bouresches line (held by first-class German troops: the famous 1st and 4th Guards and 6th Bavarians), which was carried in a single rush. Organizing the conquered ground, it there awaited the signal to advance on =Etrepilly=, given on July 20 by General Degoutte. (_This village, which is situated on the farther side of Hill 190, is not visible from where the tourist stands. The road G. C. 9, leading thither, was crossed on the way to Hill 190._) The attack on Etrepilly, which was to relieve the French (tenaciously opposed to the north of Belleau), was executed with great vigour and ability, according to General Degoutte’s report. Three guns, one bomb-thrower, numerous machine-guns, and 200 prisoners were taken, while the advance forced the Germans to abandon their positions in front of the French lines. After much bitter, indecisive fighting, and a further attack on the 26th, which resulted in the capture of 264 prisoners, the final assault was made on the 29th. Two battalions deployed in four lines of sharpshooters, fifty yards apart, closely followed by the storming columns in waves, broke through the German positions after fierce bayonet fighting. The enemy redoubts [Illustration: AMERICAN OBSERVATION-POST IN BELLEAU WOOD DURING THE FIGHTING IN JULY, 1918.] were surrounded and reduced after hard hand-to-hand fighting. The Americans, who had left off their coats and rolled up their shirt-sleeves, advanced resolutely in spite of heavy losses. The capture of this formidable position by the Marine Brigade won the warmest praise from Marshals Foch and Pétain, and the heartfelt thanks of the Mayor of Meaux, which city was thus saved from the enemy. The French High Command decided that the wood should henceforth be called: The Wood of the American Marine Brigade. [Illustration: AMERICAN SOLDIER IN DUG-OUT IN BELLEAU WOOD.] [Illustration: AMERICAN SOLDIERS IN BELLEAU WOOD.]