Description:

Large archive of fifteen printed documents, letters, field orders, maps, and reports from commander of the 306th Engineers Regiment Thatcher T. P. Luquer, whose regiment served in the Sommedieue sector of the Meuse-Argonne offensive shortly before war's end. Many marked 'SECRET', the grouping dates from Nov. 4, 1918 to Jan. 27, 1919 - providing a glimpse into the regiment's preparations for the Nov. 11 armistice and its aftermath. The archive most notably includes: a classified report, dated Nov. 4, reading 'Nov. 1, 1918...in the event of an armistice with Austria-Hungary, the fronts held by Austria-Hungarian units should be guarded especially well...'; three 'summaries of intelligence' from Nov. 4 to Nov. 9, bearing a summation of enemy movements, artillery, infantry, aeronautics, yet giving the impressions of 'quiet' days with no known change to the enemy front lines; and a sarcastic 'summary of unintelligence', dated three days after the armistice was signed, detailing that '...the enemy reacted violently all over the sector...two men wearing gas masks were seen entering a sewer near Manhole (Manhuelless)...the enemy infantry were extremely active during the day, jumping up and down and climbing trees...the 420th Landsakes Division now opposite our front is composed entirely of one-legged men impressed into the service from the great Sauerkraut factories at Essen...'. Sold with a marked map of the northeastern sector of France, 20.5 x 29.5 in., marked with blue indelible pencil from Chavelot stretching eastwards, and circled around the region of Fontenay, labelled at right: '306 Eng. Staging Area Oct. 20 - Nov. 1 1918.' Luquer was commander of the 306th Regiment, then at the front.

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May 22, 2021 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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