HIS STRONGEST DEFENCES SMASHED.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 17393, 2 October 1918, Page 5

HIS STRONGEST DEFENCES SMASHED.

THE GREAT HINDENBURG

LINE PIERCED.

. NEW ZEALANDERS PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART.

(Received Oct 1. 5.30 p.m.)

LONDON, Sept 30

Mr Percival Phillips writes: Today defeat fell upon the Hun, when the last remaining fragment of the Hindenburg Line was wrenched from the German front. Men from the British Isles, Australasia and America broke the surviving iimb of the WotanrSiegfried fortress almost at a single stride. Ido not see how the three German armies opposite us can. hope to repair their fortunes.

The story is full of thrilling interest. It must be told piecemeal. Take first the-breaking of the Hindenburg Line. Southward of Vendhuille Australians and Americans drove frontally through the main support systems and over the tunnel of the canal dividing them. They attacked from the old German outpost line a mile Avestward of the canal through , six layers of deep trenches protected by broad banks of wire, the whole forming the strongest defensive system erected by the enemy on the West front. It was never assaulted before and was manned by good German divisions, who were ordered to hold until they died knowing the immediate future of their army depended on. their exertion. But no troops, however stout, could offer much resistance after such a bombardment as preceded the attack. The Americans were firat through the battered defences and found themselves in the German main defences when they had gone 1200 yards. Only isolated machine gun fire hindered the Americans to any extent until they came against the villages of Bony and Bellicourt, which were strongly fortified, but they passed both before 8 o'clock, when it was reported they were still fighting eastward, of the canal tunnel along the railway ridge, between La Catalet and Nauroy. More opposition was encountered here, but the fo,g, lifting, yielded a fresh surprise. The AustralHans came over broken fields and struck hard at the German line. It wavered, and fell back further towards the next line of villages and ai half dug trench system running southwards towards Estrees.

Meanwhile the New Zealanders had wonderful success. They attacked at 3 in the morning, spreading fanwise as they advanced and reached the plateau wood on the Masnieres-Cambrai road. They en^ countered a strong point at La. Bacquarie, into which, they worked from the northward and southward along the roads and pinched off the village, taking- over 1000 prisoners. They are reported to be still going strong.

Prisoners represent every battalion of the Eighteenth Prussian 'Division. "You had only to see the wonderful onward sweep of the British armies to-day in order to realise how far the Hun has gone along the road to utter defeat.