BRITISH FORGING AHEAD

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 4989, 2 October 1918, Page 5

BRITISH FORGING AHEAD

FALL OF CAMBRAI. AND ST QUENTIN IMMINENT.

FIGHTING NORTH OF ST.

QUENTIN.

SMASHING THE HINDENBURG - LINE.

Australian and N.Z. Oablw Association,

LONDON. Sept. 30. The British have captured the northern suburbs of Cambrai. , 1

Sir Douglas Haig smashed the Hindonburg line to a depth of two miles on a front of eight miles. The British and Australians, in the face of heavy fighting, advanced near Gonnelieu and took 4000 prisoners. The 0 " British withdrew from Ar~ leux.

Australian and N.Z.- Cable Association

and Eeuter’a. (Received Oct. 1. 9.45 p.m.) LONDON. Sept. 30. The fall of St, Quentin and of Cambrai is regarded as imminent. Already both towns are useless to the enemy from the .viewpoint of road and railway communications. It is doubtful’ if anything can be got in or ou’t of St. Quentin ’ The fall of both places will mean the complete readjustment of the whole of the enemy line between the Scarpc and the Oise. Australian and N.Z. Cable A&eodatloa Oct. 1. 9.45 p.m.) V LONDON. Sept. 31. Mr Philip Gibbs writes: There has been ceaseless firing for 48 hours. Before tho morning s attack began the gunners fired gas , shells tor ten hours, spreading a zone of death over wide territory and flinging thousands of rounds cf gas shells over the German batteries and assembly places. During the following few minutes there was a hurricane bombardment The infantry then advanced behind a creeping barrage. One hundred or more tanks, had gone forward at night time, hiding until they crawled out at daylight, and, with the infantry, made for the canal, which is sixty yards wide where it goes above ground. Elsewhere it is enclosed in tunnels.' The crossing of the canal is recognised as a military feat as great as anything in the history ol war, and more difficult even than the crossing. of the Canal du .Nord. The canal goes underground for five kilometres northward of Be;liccurt. This portion was defended by the Hindonburg line with initqcnse belts of wire, deep and wide trenches. and a network of earthworks. Within an hour alter the attack began reports arrived that tho South M’dlanders had secured a. crossing and were well cn the other' side of the main Hindenburg lino on this sector, which was broken through, and tro’ons are so much past it at many points that it is now only an ironical memory.

The Australians and Americans en the right of the attack stormed the canal where it was partly above anti partly below ground around the Bellicourt line. Hero it was terrific in its original strength, for besides a wide canal there was a great belt of wire end many trenches, hut the guns cut the wire. This morning the troops displayed marvellous valour in establisning bridges. Lucki'y a heavy German barrage fell mostly behind tiiem, end some of our wounded were hurt in their desperate eagerness to keep close to their own barrage, the Amerjrans bing Jess experienced in this than the Australian veterans.

Pr'isouers state-; that the Mnsnieresrrnurevoir Jino (which lips between Cnmbrai and St. Ouontin) not manned, but observers report the rap;d movement of the German trains ■westward, .showing that the enemy is no reinforcements to hold Mis position, where probably a Croat battle will be fought. Once throneb tnau line we are out in open country, Where anything may hannen.

HINBEHSURft LSa’E VAMISHES.

LAST FRAGMENT WRENCHED FROM HUNS.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (cccivt'cl October 1 at midnight) LONDON, Scot. 80. -tir .rcreival Phillips writes: J o-clay defeat fell upon the Hun ivlien the last remaining fragment of the Hmdeiiburg line was wrenched from the G-eninm front. Men from the imitish Isles, Australasia, and -America broke the surviving limb of the lil ctan Siegfried fortress almost at a single stride. <l I don’t see how tile three German armies opposite us can hope to repair their fortunes,” comments Mr Phillips, The story is full of thrill in.g interest and must be told piecemeal. Take first the breaking of the Hindenburg line southward of Ycr.dhuille. The Australians and Americans drove frontally through the main support systems and over»the tunnel of the canal dividing them. They attacked from the old German outpost line a mile westward of the canal, through six layers of deep trenches protected by broad hanks of wire, the whole* forming. the strongest defensive .'•system erected by- the enemy on the West Front. It had never been assaulted before and was manned by good German divisions who were ordered to hold until they died, knowing- that the immediate future of their army depended on their exertions. But no troops, however stout, could offer much resistance after sued a bombardment as preceded the attack. The Americans were first through the battered defences and found themselve s . in the German main defences. Only isolated machine gun (ive hindered the Americans to any extent until they came against the villages’ of Bony and Belli court, which were strongly fortified, but they passed both before 8 o’clock when they were reported to be stiff fighting eastward of the canal am. tunnel along the railway -ridge between La Oatalefc and Anurov. More opposition was encountered here, blit, the fog lifting, yielded a fresh surprise . The Australians came ever tme broken fields and struck hard at the German line. It wavered and tell back further towards the next line of villages and q halt dug trench system running southward towarco E Meanwhile the New Zealanders had a wonderful succcsk. they a Hackee at three in the morning and spreauhm- fmnvisa as they advanced they reached a plateau and wood on tao Atasniere-s-Camb rai road. _ Kiev encountered a strong peine at La Vaoqu'arie into which' they woikpd from the northward and southv ai d the rends and pinched oft the EiMiteontli Prussian Division. -you had only to ses this wonaerfUl onward sweep of the Sritish arm--'tes 'to-day in order to realise how fas' the Hiia has gone along the road of utter defeat.”