DASH OF AMERICANS.

Taihape Daily Times, 22 October 1918, Page 2

DASH OF AMERICANS.

ADVANCE PAST OBJECTIVES. VALOUR NOT LACKING, LONDON, Oct 3. Writing from Australian headquarters in France, Mr, Keith Murdoca says that the fine success of all sections of the Allied armies, in tno north, south and centre, have resulted in at least 10.000 enemy troops being put out of action in four days. Tae history of these victories includes many heroic stories, but perhaps one of the most compact, including instances of courage, triumph and failure, elation and depression, joy and suffering, and all the elements making up a soldier’s battle feelings, is that of the American division atached to the Australian Corps. They stormed forward on Sunday, over muddy shell-holes, and wet au» thick grass, thistles and poppies, across acres sown with 'barbed wire, and entangled with trenches. Their one thought, was to defeat the enemy and press onward. They are stalwart, and intelligent youths, full of eagerness and sirnpm earnestness. Their long and narrow packs, fitting 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 in their eagerness to stamp victory upon their divisions’ clean records. Evening found them in numberless pockets, many far ahead o<: their objectives, others engulfed in difficulties on their flanks, but meantime they had disintegrated the German Empire’s greatest line, built am garrisoned with the utmost skill in defence. DETERMINED TO PRESS' ON. The division forming the right hall of the battle line stormed the line anc: captured Bellicourt and Nauroy, but refused to pause there, scattering further afield. “We won’t let the Aussics pass us. We will take their objectives as well as ours,” they said, according to the reports of our liaison 'Officers. A mile ahead was Joncourt, an; here late in the afternoon the Australians found groups of Americans holding out gallantly, against strong German forces. The Australians, who captured 250 Germans, and took six field guns, relieved the Americans and brought hack all their wounded to Nauroy, where the line was established for the night. On the left flank part of an American division had disappeared forward. Many tanks Intended to help them were blown up by a series of small

| land mines. Others disappeared with i them, doubtless falling victims 10 j shells farther afield. The Boche drifted In from the exposed flank in great numbers and refilled the Hindenburg trenches, anc even took positions further west than thsir morning line. Lacking nothing in valour the Americans lacked skill and experience in clearing out the German nests hidden in the large tunnels and the complicated dugout system of the Crunches. It was Beaumont Hamel and Mouquet Farm over again. Just as the Britlsn and Australians paid the price for experience then, so the Americans paid on Sunday. SKILFUL ENEMY ATTACKS. Nothing could he done to support these troops, and throughout the storms of wind and rain during the cold night they, presumably, remained in groups, formed far afield, fighting always and hoping always. on Monday our great effort was to work along the trench systems from the south, and 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 they had a successful but a hard time. The enemy struck skilfully and strongly, n:s shelling and intense machine-gunning sweeping these rolling ridges, which are becoming pock-marked like Yprcs. Bitter weather chills the flesh, and ceaseless detonations wrack the brains. It is the same purgatory as 1 ever, but their spirit carries our men on. i - . ■ ■ --