Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-09-19
Special Cable to Evening Public Ledger
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Copyright, 1918, by Netc York Times Co.
With the British Armies, Sept. 10.
On front of something like six
teen miles from below Gouzeaucourt tc
Savoy Wood, near 81. Quentin, an at
tack was made by English Scottish
Irish and Australian troops yesterday
morning in cooperation with French
battalions on the British right by Hol
non Wood.
number of prisoners have been taken
and the British by stubborn fighting
against stiff opposition in some of the
enemy positions made good progress
and scaled much high ground west
of the Hindenburg line.
On this southern part of our front
several villages. including Peizieres.
Epehy, Tempeux-le.Guer lie Ver.
guier and Hargicourt have been the
scene of fierce conflict, but these
places are now in our hands, according
to reports I have just received, and
from one end of this line of attack
to its other boundary the Germans
have been forced to yield ground
which they were ordered to hold at all
costs in order to protect the forward
position of the Hindenburg line.
Our primary object was to gain our
old outpost line as 1t existed before
last March, running along a ridge
from which spurs strike down to St
Quentin Canal. The enemy had al
ready withdrawn his artillery behind
that canal and was relying mainly on
long range high veloclties to harass
our positions and silence our batteries.
Germans Use Long Range Guns
He is now strong in gunpowder for
protection of the Hindenburg line, ana
from personal observation I can say
he has a most unusual number of
these long-range guns, and he used
them yesterday to draw a line of fire
across our country. He was, how
ever. holding his outpost line, once
ours as I have said. with many of
the same troops who had borne the
full brunt of our recent battles and
suffered exceedingly, so that then
spirit had been lowered to gloomy
depths. while other divisions less
mauled, though by no means un-
scathed. were being held by the Ger
man command to defend the Hinden.
burg line itself
This has been the enemy's policy for
G l q
dearth of men after the Allied attacks
on so many parts Of the line. He
gives his troops no rest or support
until they are thoroughly worn. when
he stiffens them with material of bet
ter class. 1t is a more or less. but,
from the German point of view. nee.
essary method. Since August s. our
Fourth Army, for instance, has en-
gagged thirty-four divisions, twelve OF
which have been in battle for the
second time and two for the JdirG
time.
Among those facing our men were
remnants of the Second Guards
Division. whose spirit is at low ebt
after their fighting at Mont st. Quen-
tin and Peronne, in which city they
were hunted into the ramparts and
routed out like rats after a savage
defense.
The German Alpine corps are tn,
best class of troops the enemy car
now muster, and they fought hard
and fiercely at Lincourt and other
places outside Peronne. so that. il
spite of their losses, trouble was ex.
pected from them yesterday.
The Sixth German Cavalry Division
from whom were captured many
prisoners in recent days, had proved
itself of much value as a dismounted
force, notwithstanding the beautiful
sky-blue coats of the officers and theil
superfluous pride over their own in
fantry.
, The 2o1st Division, which has come
} into line against US for the first time
is made UP Of men from East Prus
sia. Baden and Silesia.
The Seventh Bavarlan, Seventy
ninth German Division, and tn,
S Twenty-fifth Division are all much
tried men. To be fair to all of them
q however, must say that as far a
e Yesterdays fghting goes they put VI
' a brave and stubborn defense, whicl
has only been broken down by tn
!, determined efforts of our own men.
Holnon Village Captured
Down south, on the right of our lin
of attack, preliminary operation wa
| carried out Tuesday by British an
French troops around Holnon Wood an
Saw in order to shorten the distanc
. thew wanted to go yesterday. and OF
troops captured Holnon village. viii
the French advanced half way throug
Sayy Wood. In both cases machine
gun nests remained in the village as we
ls as in the wood. with French and Bri
II ish troops ahead and these were NJ
N mopped up in our case until early We.
= terday, while the French had son
q trouble in clearing their ground Of tn
i menace behind them.
The night before the battle, whiC
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