DASH- OF AMERICANS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16983, 17 October 1918, Page 6

DASH- OF AMERICANS

ADVANCE PAST, OBJECTIVES. VALOUR NOT LACKING. LONDON, Oct. 3. Writing from Australian headquarters in France, Mr. Keith Murdoch says that the fine successes of all sections of the Allied armies, in the north, south and centre, hav.o resulted in ot least 10,000 enemy troops being put out of action in four days. The history of these victories ii eludes many heroio stories, but perhaps ono of 'the,- most compact, including instances of courage, triumph and failure, elation and depression, joy and suffering, an j all the dements making up o soldier's battle feelings, is that of the American division attached to the Australian Corps. They stormed forward, on Sunday, over muddy shell-holes, and wet and thick grass, thistles and popples, across acres sown with barbed wiro and entangled with trenches. Their one thought was to dofeat

the enomy and press onward. They aro

stalwart, fresh-complcxioned, and intelli* gent' youths, full of eagerness and simple earnestness. Their long and narrow packs, lilting between their shoulder-blades, down their backs, carried simple comforts for distant bivouacs. Experts could have found them lacking in battle essentials, but nothing could have) exceeded their brave determination and willingness to undergo suffering ill ; their eagerness to stamp victory upon j their division's clean records. Evening j found them in numberless pockets, many far ahead of -their objectives, others engulfed in difficulties on their flanks, but meantime they had disintegrated the German Empire's greatest lino, built : and garrisoned with tho utmost skill in defence. , Determined to Press On. The division forming the right half of the battle line stormed tho line, and captured Bellicourt and Nauroy, but refused to pause there, scattering further afield. "We won't let the Aussies pass us. Wo will take their objectives as well as ours." they said, according to the reports of our liaison officers.

A mile ahead was Joncourt, and here late in the afternoon the Australians found groups rof Americans holding out gallantly against strong German forces. The Australians, who captured 250 Germans, and took six field guns, relieved the Americans and brought back' $1 their wounded to Nauroy, where the lino was established for the night. On the left flank part of an American division had disappeared forward. Many tanks intended to help them were knocked out soon after starting, a whole lino being blown up by a series of small land mines. Others disappeared with them, doubtless falling victims to shells farther afield. ' j The .Boche drifted in from the exposed flank, in 'great number's and refillod the! Hindenburg trenches, and even took posi- j tions further west than their morning line. Lacking nothing in valour, the Ameri* cans lacked skill and. experience in clearing out the German nests hidden in the large tunnels and the complicated dugout system of the trenches. It was Beaumont Hamel , and Mouquet -farm over again. Just as the British and Australains paid the price for experience then, ,so the Americans paid on Sunday.

; Skilful Enemy Attacks. Nothing could be done to support these troops, and throughout the storms of wind and rain during the cold night they, presumably, remained in groups,- formed far "field, fighting always arid hoping alwavs. On Mondav our, great effort was to work along the trench systems from the' south, an « relieve these , brave-hearted fellows. The battle goes well, but let those at home recollect, amidst their elation at our great victories that these battlefields bring all the old travail for the soldiers. On Sunday 4hey had a successful 'but a hard time. The enemy struck sKilfully and strongly, his shelling and intense machine-gun-fire sweeping these rolling ridges, which arc .becoming pock-marked Tiko Xpres. Bitter weather chills the flesh, ana ceaseless detonations wrack the brains. It is the same purgatory as ever, but their spirit carr.is our men on., ,