Château-Chéhéry and the Argonne Forest

Château-Chéhéry (also written as Châtel-Chéhéry) is a small village in the Ardennes department of northeastern France, nestled in the rugged terrain of the Argonne Forest. During World War I, it became one of the most significant American battlefields in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.

This area is where Sergeant Alvin C. York performed his legendary feat of arms on October 8, 1918. York and a small detachment from the 328th Infantry Regiment, 82nd Division, attacked a German machine gun position in the hills above Châtel-Chéhéry, killing 25 enemy soldiers and capturing 132 prisoners.

Margaret Sheldon was stationed in this area during October and November 1918. Her diary entries describe the intense fighting, the flow of wounded soldiers, and the devastation of the landscape. The Salvation Army hut she operated served troops of the 82nd Division and other units rotating through the Argonne sector.

The Argonne Forest itself was one of the most difficult terrains on the Western Front — dense woods, steep ravines, and fortified German positions made every advance costly. The fighting here from late September through November 1918 was some of the bloodiest of the entire war for American forces.

After the Armistice, Margaret remained in the area, based at nearby Cornay. Today, the Argonne region is home to numerous American military cemeteries, memorials, and preserved battlefield sites, including the York battlefield trail.

Location

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Further Reading