FOUR EPIC DAYS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1712, 31 December 1919, Page 5

FOUR EPIC DAYS.

RAWLINSON’S ASTONISHMENT. MT. ST. QUENTIN FINEST FEAT OF WAR. LONDON, Dec. 20. General Monash. in an additional instalment of ins book, published in the London Sunday Times, describes the capture of Mont St. Quentin and Peronno as the finest examples in the war of spirited and successful infantry action. Too attacks were conducted by three whole divisions operating jointly and simultaneously. It was essentially an Infantry combat, tanks and mobile and heavy artillery being unavailable. General Rawlinson was informed by telephone three hours after the advance tLat the Australians had gained a foothold cn Mont St. Quentin. “General Rawlinson was at first totally incredulous,” proceeds General Monash, “but he soon sent generous congratulatory messages, proclaiming tho event as being calculated to have an important influence on the immediate future course of the war.” Later General Rawlinson hailed the com- ® pleto operation of the l four epic days as the finest single, feat of the war. Dealing with the unavoidable hastiness of the tactical plans,, General Monash says: “The delay of a day or two in rushing Peronno would have made its capture many times more costly. The good sense of the commanders obviated confusion, and the utmost advantage was taken of the chances offered, *

“The men everywhere preformed prodigies of valour. The storming of the Mount enthralls rhe imagination and overshadows all else. It is impossible to begrudge the congratulations which rained upon Major General Sir Charles Rosenthal, ‘the massive man. whose build belies his extraordinary physical energy.’ He is an optimist incapable of realising the possibility c-f failure, hence, his invariable success,” General Monash adds a warm tribute to Lieutenant-General Sir J. J. Talbot Hobb’s judgment and swiftness in dealing with difficulties.