"ZONE OF DEATH.”

Taihape Daily Times, 3 October 1918, Page 3

"ZONE OF DEATH.”

48 HOURS’ HAS SHELLING. LONDON, September 30. Mr Gibbs writes: There had been ceaseless firing for 48 hours before the morning’s attack began # The gunners fired gas shells for ten hours, spreading a zone of death over a wide territory, flinging thousands of rounds of gas shells over German batteries and assembly places. Following a few minutes’ hurricane bombardment the infantry advanced behind a creepingbarrage. A hundred or more tanks had gonei foward in thei friighttimje, biding until they crawled o'ut at daylight, and with the infantry, made for the Scheldt, -which is 60 yards wide where it goes above ground. Elsewhere it is enclosed in a tunnel. The crossing of the canal is recognised as a military feat as great as anything in the history of the war more difficult even than the crossing of the Canal Du Nord. The canal goes underground for five kilometres northward of Bellicourt, This portion was defended by the Hindenburg Line, with immense belts of wire, deep and wide trenches, and a network of earthwork. Within an hour after the attack began reports arrived that the South Midlanders had secured a crossing and were well on the other side. The main Hindenburg Line on this sector was broken through, and troops are so much past it at many points that it is only an ironical memory.

The Australians and Americans on the right of the attack stormed the canal where it is partly above and partly below the ground around Bcllicourt. The line here was terrific in its original strength, for besides the wide canal there was a great belt of wire and many trenches, but our guns cut the fire this morning, The troops displayed marvellous valour in establishing bridges. Luckily the heavy Gorman barrage fell mostly behind them, and some of our wounded were hurt in their desperate eagerness to keep close to our own barrage, the Americans being less experienced in this than the Australian veterans. Pris-' j state the Masieres B'eaurevoir line is | not manned, but observers report the I rapid movement of German trains westward showing that the enemy is rushing up reinforcements to hold this position, where probably ia great battle will be fought. Once through that line we are out in open country, -when anything may happen.