STORIES OF THE BATTLE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 312, 21 September 1918, Page 7

STORIES OF THE BATTLE

THE OPENING MOVES "ROUTED LIKE RATS .."... London, September 19. Mr.; Percival Phillips writes:. "The casualties of the '3rd and 4th Armies are not heavy. We attacked at 0.20' a.m. on a front of fifteen miles, in cooperation with the French on our right. Although greater resistance was encountered than duriug the earlier stages of tho British advance, the troops of the United Kingdom and • Australia made-satisfactory progress along -the ridges protected by well-fortified ullages, which give- access to our old outline immediately, before the Hindenburg line. All the essential objects of the attack were gained. The infantry is still going forward. The Hun' was prepared for the blow, and intended to fight stubbornly for bits of high ground, and we are. up against stronger, forces than'the old rearguards. The ridges and 'spurs attacked were seamed with'" trenches, which' connected Gouzeaucourt nnd.Hargicourt, and the ruined villages afforded an ample screen for the ma-chine-gunners. The remains of. several farms are embedded in the trench system which ran'along the. entirefront.- Rain fell while the infantry was assembling,' and made tho ground sticky., News came back .slowly, and it is still impossible to know the full results attained; - Our ■ attack commenced .three-quarters of an 'hour before'the Germans expected it. Enemy batteries across the canal replied promptly, and the gunfire was heavier than .any. since August B."—Reuter. ... THE AUSTpJAN ATTACK "" London, September 19. ■ Mr. Philip Gibbs .states:'"The Australians encountered and overcame stiff resistance at Hargicourt and le Verguierr-- Elsewhere the Germans rushed out. .of their..trenches and -surrendered before' the" Australian barrage reached them. The Australians'at an. early hour-' had taken 500 prisoners. The 1 primary object of the English, Scottish, Irish, and Australian attack was "to regain our old outpost line_ ' running along the ridge,: from which spurs strike'down to the. St. Quentin Canal. The enemy hid/already'withdrawn his artillery behinothe canal, and" was jelying niainly on long-range high-velocity '.shells'to harass : our position. 1 -He isnow strong in gun-power for the protection of the Hindenburg line, and has a most unusual number of long-range guns. He is holding the outpost Tne with troops who have borne the -full brunt of recent battles and whose ;spirit is lowered.to gloomy depths. The less-mauled" divisions' are being held in reserve to defend the Hindenburg line itself. Tho enemy is now, giving his troops' no: rest or > support until' thoroughly worn out, when he stiffens them with material of a better class. The method, is merciless,- but necessary. Among the men fighting to-day were the remnants-of the 2nd Guards Division who were routed like rats from Mont St."Quentin ' and Peropne.- 'A rainstorm'"early'"in the morning marie, the ground.-bad for the tanks, the slimy chalk giving no,grip, but after •a -brief hurricane fire our troops went forward' with perfect confidence; The losses;in'the.first assault were ligat. Tlie men were ' mostly hit by shellsplinters and not machine-gun bullets,, showing the temporary end of open warfare. The. .English troops .met. with, very 'hard'resistance at Epehy,.;where, the' German Alpine Corps put ; up /a; hard fight. ■ It is too soons to rim up the results of. the day's fighting. It is now raining again, which does not help our troops, but it may prevent night 'bombing--oyer our lines. Lately tho enemy has been flying giant aeroplanes bv night. These monsters carry;acrew. of ciglit'.'ahd bombs thirteen feet long, containing two thousand pounds cf ex-. plosiv'es."'.yWe have destroyed several' of these machines during- the • -past week.' I —Aus.-N.Z. Cable' Assn;