MAIN DEFENCES OF HINDENBURG LINE OVERLOOKED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16962, 23 September 1918, Page 5

MAIN DEFENCES OF HINDENBURG LINE OVERLOOKED.

BLACK DAY FOR GERMAN HOPES AND MANHOOD.

COUNTER-ATTACKS BROKEN WITH SUPERB COURAGE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, Sept. 20. Mr. Philip Gibbs writes: Wednesday was one of the great days of the war, far more important and successful than I guessed when I went among the Australians early in the day. It developed into a great victory before nightfall. After many hours of desperate fighting we are now overlooking the main defences of the Hindenburg line. The enemy launched very fierce counter-attacks against Gauche Wood, which the Seventh Division of Lancashire and Yorkshire troops crushed with superb courage. The achierement was more memorable because the division had been fighting incessantly since August 8. Meanwhile the enemy was making a fierce attack at Moeuvres and Havrincourt The German commander ordered the Sixth Diviison to break the British line, and gave 40 batteries to help the attack. The Germans advanced under cover of a frightful line of fire, but the Guards were there and the glorious old Third Division, who were the heroes of .the defence of Arras last April. They found quick targets among these masses of Germans, and slaughtered them. It was a black day for German hopes and manhood.

The Twenty-first Division, including Linoolns and Leicesters, fighting south of Villiers-Guislain, captured the famous position of Vaucelette Farm, advancing like the Australians farther south under cover of a dense smoke screen. The Lincolns and Leicesters so confused the enemy that the farm was surrounded before a shot was fired. Near at hand were the Wiltshires, and these troops met the Germans advancing to the counter-attack in Linnet Valley. The Wiltshires .never halted to consider withdrawal, but charged straight into the German wave of assault and destroyed it, capturing eight field-guns. It must never be forgotten that these men of the Seventeenth and Twenty-first Divisions suffered grievously in the March retreat, yet fought their way back and captured all the old ground. Our eastern county men had a very hard time at Epehy, where Alpine corps fought like tigers. Epehy contained a strong earthwork called Fisher's Keep, which was finally taken after a trench mortar bombardment.

Mr. Gibbs adds that the Londoners repulsed counter-attacks throughout the day and night. Farther south, near St. Quentin, were the Buffs, Shropshires, Sherwoods, and Norfolks. Fighting at Holnon and near by were the Camerons and Black Watch. At Berthacourt and Fresnoy some Germans of the 119 th Division ran away panicstricken, but small bodies of brave men kept the machine-guns busy in the copses.