CONCENTRATED BRITISH ATTACK ON HINDENBURG LINE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16970, 2 October 1918, Page 7

CONCENTRATED BRITISH ATTACK ON HINDENBURG LINE.

CANALS FORCED IN FACE OF BITTER OPPOSITION. Australian and N.Z. and Routor. LONDON. Sept. 30, Sir Douglas Haig reports: At dqlwn the battle successfully developed southward to St. 'Quentin, and now extends on a front of 30 miles between St. Quentin and the Sensee River. On the right we attacked across the St. Quentin Canal from Bellenglise, five miles north of St. Quentin. The Forty-sixth Division, provided with lifebelts, portable bridging material, and rafts, and covered by concentrated artillery and machine-gun fire, stormed the main Hindenburg defences along the eastern bank of the canal. Despite the breadth and the depth of the canal and the strength of the enemy defences, which included Bellenglise, and numerous tunnels and concrete works, we oaptured the whole German position opposing us. The troops pressed forward with great bravery and determination up the slopes of the hill beyond the canal, taking more prisoners. We captured Bellenglise, Lehaucourt, and Magny-la-Foss.e. Further north at the same hour New York, Tennessee, North and South Carolina troops, under Major-General Read, attacked the Hindenburg line on a front of 6000 yds where the canal passes through the tunnel. The Americans pressed forward dashingly and captured Bellicourt and Nauroy on the left bank, eight miles north of St. Quentin. Fighting is proceeding in the neighbourhood of Bony, west of the canal. In the centre the British captured Villers Guislain, 10 miles south of Oambrai. The New Zealanders cleared Welsh R.dge, breaking up a hostile counter-attack, and captured La Vacquerie and the spur between Bon avis and Masnieres. Meanwhile the Sixty-second Division secured the canal crossings and continued their advance, capturing Masnieres, Las Rues Vertes, and the defensive system covering Rumilly. On their left the Second Division crossed the Scheldt Canal about Noyellea, and advanced 1$ miles up rising ground east of the canal line. The Sixty-third Naval Division forced the passage east of Cantaing and reached the southern outskirts of Cambrai. On the le! : b the Canadians fought forward through the defensive system covering Cambrai into the outskirts of the town. Further north they captured Sancourt, beating off heavy counter-attacks, - while English troops cleared the slopes south of the Sensee CanaL We captured 22,000 prisoners and 300 guns during three days.