THE GREATEST BATTLE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 28 September 1918, Page 2

THE GREATEST BATTLE.

j MONASH'S INSPIRING ORDER

"I HAVE NO DOUBTS."

| MAKING THE ENEMY STAGGER

I (By Keith Murdoch). i ■ Australian Headquarters, Sep. 3. I it is .now-permissible to cable the nislonc order of the day issued to his by Lieutenant-General Sir Johii •Monash. on the er e of the battle. It stated: "Soldiers of Australia,—For tiie first time in history all the Australian divisions mil to-morrow engage 111 ~^ c largest and most important battle operation ever undertaken by the Australian Force. They will be supported by powerful artillery, tanks, and aeroplanes. Our sister Dominion, ya.na.da, will also operate, whilst British divisions will guard the teft flank, i/ie many successful offensives which you have so brilliantly executed during the past four months have been but th c i prelude for this■ greatest and culminating effort. Owing to the completeness or oar plans and dispositions, the magnitude of the operations, and th e depth to which w© intend over-running the enemy's positions, this battle will be one of the most memorable of the whole . war. ■ ■ THROUGH TO A FINISH. "There is no doubt that the capture of our objectives will inflict blows Wnich j will matte the enemy stagger, and bring ■ the end appreciably nearer! I entertain no sort of doubt that every Ausjtranan.soldier worthily will riae. io so i .great an occasion, and, imbued with toe spirit of victory, despite every difficulty that may confront hno, will be ■animated by no other resolve than a gam determination to see. through to | a dean finish whatever task he is alI lotted. The work to be done tc-mor-i row may, perhaps, make heavy de- ) mands upon the. endurance and staying J powers of many, out I am confident | Lnat, despite excitement, fatigue, and | j physical strain, every man will carry on to nk utmost powers until the goal is won. ."Men, it is for Australia,./ our Empire, and our cause, and I earnestly wish, every soldier .the bvst of &ood for- | tune, and a glorious and-.decisive victory, the story thereof will re-echo ■ throughout the world and lire i'or ever i in,the history.of, our homeland." j GERMANS TRICK TrIEMSELVES. The Germans captured the order from the body of a dead man and published it widely, changing and corrupting the text, and claiming it as proof or the '.unparalleled efforts made to break the whole German army and finish the war, basing their claim of victory on this. The •Frankfurter. Zeitun'g said: "This proud carps is now shattered, and its morale must be broken owing' to these false promises; #We have nothing furi.ther to fear from the exhausted AusI tralians.-"' .■"■■:■

lhis pix>paganda, intended for.home and neutral ©onsumption, reacted strangely upon the German troops. The commanders, thinking the Australians exhausted, jammed their lines full of troops. Prisoners. say thai they were ,told tnat only weak attacks were to t>e expected, and as a result the Germans were surprised and confused, and large numbers were, captured.