"Collette Sector"? "P.A. Maintain Point"?

[MN Doughboy 1918]

Trying to figure out where the 1st Battalion of the AEF 140th Infantry, 35th Division, was between August 3 and August 31. I know they were at Camp Boussat just prior to that and marched to Oderen on September 1 but can't find "the Collette Sector" mentioned anywhere.

 

In the regimental history, the author says "The 1st Battalion remained at Boussat until August the 3rd when it took over the Collette Sector, holding it effectively until August the 31st."

My grandfather's diary from this period says "We can see the German lines, Lautenbach and the Rhine with the glasses."

 

For bonus points, here's another question from the same period. My grandfather wrote on August 24:

"Sent to P.A. Maintain Point which is in Support. Went to Point 400 and saw our shells land in the German trenches."

 

Anyone know where and what this was? Thanks in advance!

[JWK]

Bit of reducing and deducing:

 

From the Truman Library:

 

 

Lautenbach is  the French Lautenbach,  and "Sengern" is just west of that village,  both north-west of Mulhouse.

 

 

 

edit: from "Recollections of a recruit, an official history of the fifty-fourth U. S. infantry 1919"

 

These were located as follows: On the extreme right of the battalion sector, and adjoining the Colette sector, was Hilsenfirst; on its left was Bois- en-Brosse, and the extreme left position was Stockenrunz, which adjoined the Fifty-Third Infantry sector.

 

The Hilsenfirst is a mountain in the Vosges:

 

 

 

edit #2, from the Recollections :

 

In addition to the cable, roads, trenches and dugouts had to be constantly repaired ; lines of communication had to be kept up, which meant plenty of work for the signal men. The trenches of a salient several hundred yards in depth at a point in the Colette Sector, known as Point 400, had to be repaired every day. Owing to its proximity to the German lines, enemy one-pounders registered upon it with direct fire almost constantly. The sole means of communication with this point was a covered trench, 400 yards long, which also had to be carefully kept in repair.

 

 

 

Edited 1 July , 2018 by JWK

[MN Doughboy 1918]

Wow, this is tremendous - thanks so much! A lot to dig into here. Much appreciated.

[MN Doughboy 1918]

The Sengern map is incredible. Am I reading it correctly, with the American & French trenches in red to the south and the Germans in blue to the north?  

[CROONAERT]

11 minutes ago, MN Doughboy 1918 said:

... Am I reading it correctly, with the American & French trenches in red to the south and the Germans in blue to the north?  

 

Yes.

 

Just for interest, here's an extract from a German trench map of the same location (December 1917) … same colour scheme for trenches...

[MN Doughboy 1918]

Thanks!