|
|
|
| "Going Over" through a Wheatfield |
Lester G. Hornby
(1882-1956) |
|
Acquisition Number: 2012.1166.3
Medium: Etching on Paper
Status: Reproduction Available - Click Here
Lester Hornby captioned this etching as “a charge on wooded machine gun nests near Soissons, July 1918.” Hornby would have observed this action shortly after arriving in France as he made his way to the front. The Marines of the 4th Brigade advanced with other Allied forces to capture and secure the Soissons-Chateau Thierry road. They experienced heavy fighting when the 6th Regiment moved up to the front to begin the assault on the German machine gun positions sheltered by thick woods. With no cover, the Marines and other Allied forces were in clear view of the Germans. The Regiment lost 50 per cent of its men during this offensive. Hornby’s etching illustrates how exposed the Allies were during the advance against the well protected enemy.
Gift of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation
|
|
