STORY OF AN EPIC BATTLE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 17394, 3 October 1918, Page 5

STORY OF AN EPIC BATTLE.

THE IMPOSSIBLE ACHIEVED

(Received Oct 2, 10.f.0 p.m.")

LONDON, Get 1

Mr Murdoch, writing frovn t Ite Australian Headquarters on >-a\>i. 30th, says: A great battle hegan yesterday and sundered the Hindenburg Line for a distance of three miles on a front which, combined with successes at Oambrai, are rertain to have ai far-reaching affect.

Referring to the feat of English troops in crossing the canal, Mr Murdoch says: They succeeded in a seemingly impossible task. This daring crossing of the steep-banked, tunnelled, entrenched canal is one of the finest feats of the war. The men went out equipped with lifebelts, ladders, light bridges, and things like firemen's apparatus. Other divisions thought they would be compelled to abandon the attempt and moved northwards, liltering through the gap made by the American-Australian advance, but not so this division, which was confident throughout. They prisonered -1000. At the same moment that these British advanced, the Americans started behind a barrage, accompanied by nearly [00 tanks, for a dista.nt objective.- Every battalion was full of hope and enthusiastic and confident. Theirs was one of the hardest jobs that could be given to comparatively inexperienced troops. Tho German position here seemed absolutely brittle. The old wire belts of the Hindenburg Line were broken through. The artillery had cut lanes and the taniks broke further pathways. Bitter fighting followed, resulting in the capture of Muroy, thus seizing the second line of the Hindenburg system. The Australians marched through this gap four hours later, with their own artillery, equipped for the new battle, and linked up between the Americans and the British. All day and all night long, fighting continued round Murcy and the Hindenburg system to the northwest. The number of the German dead shows the bitterness of the lighting. It is believed 500 prisoners sent back by the Americans from Jouy freed themselves on the w^y I back, joined others from dugouts, jand filtered through valleys down JMie old trench systems. They thus re-garrisoned the positions. The Germans' fighting was skilful, resourceful and brove. One machine gunner is holding out near Quen- j nemont Farm. His "pat pat" of < lire can be heard every iY;vv minutes, j but, though nearly surrounded, he remains uneaugh't. The Australian losses were light, but the Americans, with prodigal bravery and generosity and great dash and enthusiasm, shed their blood freely.