ACROSS THE SOMME.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14711, 17 September 1918, Page 9

ACROSS THE SOMME.

HOW POSTS WERE TAKEN

DASH OF THE INFANTRY

(CommoiMvoalth Official Correspondenl .) LONDON, Aug. 7.0. j On Thursday morning the Australian] infantry, pushing, through the positions reached the night before, advanced rapidly over the rolling brown moorland of* the old Somme battlefield till they came ou Germans holding the hills m front- of the Somme bridges near Peronne. All along the way they, kept coming ou wheel tracks of German guns, newly marked m the dust which was laid by the recent shower. As they came through Falucourt towards the high ground m the angle of the.Somine some miles on this side of Peronne then; opened on them a very heavy machine gun lire, and the German artillery, which is now firmg 1 from tho opposite side of the Somme, descended upon them immediately they came m view. The (iermans had "withdrawn much faster from the country farther south, but were holding this high ground between Barleux aud Biaches till the very last with the remains of the 185 th Division, which was recently brought down from near Bapaume to rush into the Somme battle. The machine gun fire held up the West Australians momentarily, but soon afterwards, with the Queenslaiiders, their Hank swept round the obstacle, and advanced swiftly down the slope towards the river Somme. The German artillery, from the opposite bank, was really heavy during this period,', but the infantry, through the gushes, came on the tail "of the Germans crossing . the bridges immediately south of Peronne. The Australians rushed the railway line, which runs close beside the Somm' canal, and opened fire on the Germans crossing, some of whom were killed and others captured. OVER THE RIVER, The Australian patrols immediately pushed out across the bridges before the Germans could destroy them, and established posts on the farther side of the two bridges. A railway bridge crosses the Somme immediately south of Peronne. South of this again, near Eterpigny, is a wooden bridge. The Australian patrols pushed out across the wooden bridge*, when suddenly from the edge of the hills beyond the Somme appeared two German four-horse teams, galloping towards the river, with two field guns. They divided, one galloping half a. mile north of the wooden bridge, and the other half a mile south. There each swung round coolly, and unlimbered the guns. The ammunition party quickly loaded off a number of rounds, and withdrew with the limbers, leaving the guns. The guns as quick as- lightning nut m each 14 to 16 rounds, partially destroying the- bridge. Then they limbered up and galloped off. It was the finest piece of artillery work anyone could wish to see. Later a. party of Germans without arms came down towards the railway bridge m order to fire a mine which was almost certainly beneath it. The Australian post, however, drove off v these. The railway line, mined near the bridge, blew up about the- same time. BRIDGES DESTROYED. Men who bad been farther south told us the Australians crossed the Somme there, too ; hut the bridges were blown up behind them, forcing their return. This is still unconfirmed. Some of us who . went up yesterday looked down on this battlefield as we are .seldom able to do m these days. A thousand yards below lay the tree-tops, hiding the Somme canal. Beyond, about • a mile away, began tho rise of the green slopes, dotted with woods, which form the eastern slopes of the Somme valley. About two miles away on our left, where the valley suddenly disappears westward at the bend of the Somme, and behind the high ground where we were fighting during the morning, were the houses and trees of Peronne. The German artillery, at first heavy, was later restless, as if the remaining batteries were being gradually drawn. Shells were incessantly pecking the slopes and the crests. On the Australian side, our artillery was strangely quiet, this being arranged because the advance was very fast, and covered nearly four miles. . Our artillery did not know where our patrols might have reached. Consequently the opposite slope lay perfectly quiet. AYe could see with the naked eye a. string- of about 17 German transport waggons coming quietly ' down the road on the I opposite side "of the valley, an . officer or, sergeant at tive head riding with another mounted man, and the waggons

following at intervals, exactly as our regimental transport marches. Through the glasses we could see the drivers sitting cross-legged, driving skinny German draught horses, with curious, roundhooded Maggons. ■ On the hill slopes to the south the German infantry, m strings, going m o take nn s»m^ rel'ev?n.«; ix>sitiou. v "''' The German transport seemed to be loading some stores .m the valley near the old British huts, the waggons returning uphill one after the ' other. All this was hidden from our infantry. HEADQUARTERS DESERTED.

The Germans during the morning luid been retiring m fair numbers to the other side of the Somme. A German battery, which had been firing from the hills opposite, was seen by our infantry [lulling out towards evening; A fire, possibly lighted by our' guns, which were then firing, broke out behind the Somme fold opposite the hillside, sendng a great/streak of black smoke across the sky. Several signs seemed to make it likely that tlie main strength of the Germans was retiring still farther that morning. Indeed, m the elaborate head-, quarters abandoned by the Germans iome of us found ill'spelled notices— which you. too, will some day see m the Australian war museum : '"'Tommy, you are the men to win, as you believe. I think else ; you will loose it, and that

; s too true. Goodbye." ( We know the Germans definitely m- j tended to stay up till August 11. Yes' i terday we passed a huge gun, captured < iby the New South Wales -men a. week i ago m the last heavy fight, wherein ■ the Australians took ~-> guns nnd over , 2000 prisoners. y \ A MONSTER, GUN. This gun ha* a 15-ipch bore, aud the ] barrel without the bri'i-eli was appar- ! ently 50ft. long. It is a naval monster, made by Krupps m 1914. The huge machinery of the mounting- was sunk into the earth nearly 30ft. from the top of the gun to ' the ' bas-o. Three railway lines led up to it, and the wholo of that part of th# wood was covered with camouflage. "Tin* gun had fired, a fewshots. Great tn-es within 100 yards ol the muzzle m the direction of Amiens were blackened and stripped. The dugouts for the crew, m which they would hay* Jived m the winter, were just fialf completed. Therefore the Germans intended to Slav. » After the battle of August 8 he ordered guns on this portion of the front, but on August 11 the order was suddenly changed, find the guns were retained farther baidc. Tt looks as if the whole German' policy on the West front changed about that date.. „ , , , > ' As evening fell we walked back past the position where the Germans fought the Australian- during the morning. There m a trench <ay a- 4pad Australian, and not far away a German officer shot through the head. Beside bun Jay a despatch form, on whicb m German were the words: "Fifth Company. 28th Regiment. 29th August, 10.40 a.m. lo th* Second Battalion. Our artillery- is .constantly shooting too short. J -he shots fall directly on the front ot the left flank of the sth Company." Death came to inffi with that message still unfinished. SUDDEN, SWIFT STROKE, A_g_st 31, 8.50 p.m.— At dawn this morning tile New South Welsh, Victorian, and Tawnnnian infantry, by a sudden, swift stroke north of the river, Somme, seized the bluff and promontory j north of Peronne and Mont >St «uentin, together with all .. the »p- --° m m !■■■ II

tween this natural fortress and Clery. They captured 1500 Germans. « This one swift assault, .scooped! m . nearly the whole of the German rearguard north of. Peronne. and placed the Australian m fan try ou the heights on the. far side of the river, overlooking the city. The Australian infantry at the present moment are pressing on towards the hills, almost encircling Peronne. The (lei mans seemed to expect that by crossing the Somme the capture of Peronne Avould be attempted directly from the front or south. The New South Welsh infantry during the night moved up from their position facing the city, and crossed the Somme some distance behind our lines. They moved out again along the northern side. By dawn they, together with otlier Victorians and' New] South Welshmen, who had been fight- 1 ing north of the river, were llyi-'ng' up. ready to attack. 'Hie actual attack was made at dawn without tanks, and without the regular artillery barrage.. The Australians broke m the German positions and swam the river from a point where the Germans did not believe they could possibly be. There was a short fight at most points along the Seine. Ouco. however, the Australians succeeded at certain points the Germans surrendered? f reel v. . ' - .

North of Peronne, the wooded hill of Mont St. Quentin can he seen from everywhere around, frowning over the Somme valley. By half-past 7 the Austrian infantry reported that they soi/.ed this. height, At time of writing they are apparently well behind the German position m the village of Fevillaauioiirt. One New, South "Welsh battalion alone took 600 Germans, and another 300. The casualties among the whole of the brigade only amounted to 80 to the time of the last report.