History of Somme American Cemetery

Background

The World War I Somme American Cemetery and Memorial in France is sited on a gentle slope typical of the open, rolling Picardie countryside.

The 14.3-acre cemetery contains the graves of more than 1,800 of our military dead. Most lost their lives while serving in American units attached to British armies, or in operations near Cantigny. The headstones, set in regular rows, are separated into four plots by paths that intersect at the flagpole near the top of the slope. The longer axis leads to the chapel at the eastern end of the cemetery.

A massive bronze door surmounted by an American eagle leads into the chapel, whose outer walls contain sculptured pieces of military equipment. Once inside, light from a cross-shaped crystal window above the marble altar bathes the subdued interior with light. The walls bear the names of almost 350 of the missing. Rosettes mark the names of soldiers listed on the Walls of the Missing who have since been recovered and identified.

Somme American Cemetery is situated a half mile southwest of the village of Bony, France, which is one and a half miles west of highway D1044, 13 miles north of St. Quentin and 14 miles southwest of Cambrai.

The United States entered World War I on April 6, 1917, and began deploying troops to Europe in 1918.

Initially, some American Expeditionary Forces’ divisions were placed under British and French command, but Gen. John J. Pershing insisted American troops fight as independent units within Allied operations.

In the Somme sector, American divisions played a key role in major offensives against German positions, particularly in breaking through the Hindenburg Line—Germany’s most fortified defensive position on the Western Front.

The U.S. 1st Division led the first American division-size offensive at Cantigny on May 28, 1918, while elements of the 33rd and 80th divisions assisted the British in reducing the Amiens salient in July and August. In September 1918, the U.S. 27th and 30th divisions were placed in front of the Hindenburg Line, engaging in intense fighting near St. Quentin Canal.

By Sept. 29, American forces, alongside British and Australian troops, broke through the Hindenburg Line, setting the stage for final Allied offensives leading to the Armistice on Nov. 11, 1918.

American Expeditionary Forces in the Somme Sector, May 28 – Oct. 24, 1918

• March 21, 1918: Germany launched the first of five major offensives, pushing deep into Allied lines near Amiens at the junction of the British and French Armies.
• May 28, 1918: Under French command, the U.S. 1st Division executed the first American division-size offensive, seizing Cantigny and successfully holding it against German counterattacks.
• July 22 – Aug. 22, 1918: Under British command, elements of the U.S. 33rd and 80th divisions helped reduce the Amiens salient, contributing to the Allied counteroffensive.
• Sept. 24, 1918: The U.S. 27th and 30th divisions, having previously fought with the British in Belgium, were placed in front of the Hindenburg Line, near St. Quentin Canal. The four-mile-long tunnel beneath the canal served as Germany’s key defensive stronghold, linking various defensive positions.
• Sept. 29, 1918:
  • The U.S. 30th Division, aided by foggy conditions, reached the southern entrance of the tunnel.
  • The U.S. 27th Division faced fierce German resistance near Bony.
  • The 107th Infantry Regiment suffered the bloodiest day of any American regiment in WWI.
  • By day’s end, the backbone of the Hindenburg Line was broken, allowing British and Australian forces to continue the offensive.
• Nov. 11, 1918: The Armistice took effect, ending hostilities on the Western Front.

Impact on the War

• The successful U.S. assaults in the Somme sector and the breaking of the Hindenburg Line weakened Germany’s ability to sustain the war.
• Cantigny marked the first division-size offensive for U.S. forces, proving their combat capability.
• Heavy American involvement in the final offensives helped accelerate Germany’s surrender.

Vintage Poster

Vintage posters convey the beauty, tranquility, and solemnity of the place as a sign of respect for those who fought so that we can live free today.