Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-10-26

new battali)ns. filling up the gaps caused
by our captures ana fire.
October - delayed. AT fewcst 5000
prisoners were brought behind the lines
Yesterday, total now OF more than
1000 as result of the battle south Of
Valenciennes. and the British troops
captured many field guns and some
howitzers have described the char
acter OF this battle. among the wood
lands and across streams and through
country divided by hedges and bitches.
ike the English home counties, those
woods all flushed by autumn tints.
Long-Rapxe Guns Busy
But the troops were not observing the
beauties OF nature, The German gun.
fire, was strong. as in addition TO his
forward batteries tho enemy has many
long range guns across the Scheldt and
was ready for IA new attack SO that they
sent down a barrage OF high explosive
and gas shells before dawn in order to
break up the British assemblage of
troops. Afterward the British had to
face wicked machine-gun fire from the
woods and villages and from the other
side of the Harpies River, where they
had to make bridges before crossing.
The ommander-in-chief has named
some of the divisions engaged, and we
out here know, more than people at
home. what their numbers mean. They
are the same divisions which, since
August 6, have b. EN- fighting their way
over old battlefelds and then into new
country in a steady procession thar
reveals astounding human endurance.
The Fifth division. which yesterday
stormcd the village OF Bcaurain. strongly
fortified and stubbornly defended, WAS
with the New Hea!anders in all the hard
fghting for Bapaume, and these men
of Devon, Kent and Cornwall have gone
forward to new battles on many morn
ings during the last three months as a
matter of habit, as they make their
breakfast.
The New Zealanders themselves. who,
with some Of the English battalions.
Neuilly yesterday and fought
their way to the high ground ON the
north side of the village. have gone
a long way since l met them at Hebu-
terne In the beginning of August, and
most Of the way with only short.
respite. They have walked through
a tattoo OF hostile machine-gun fre,
and seldom have passed a village with
out having to fight for its ruins.
Have Dons Gailsnt Service
The Thirty-thrd Division. with the
home county and Highland troops. with
the Twenty-first Division alongside them,
crossed the Harpies stream. yesterday
and took yendrecies and cleared Its
wodl of a hornets nest of machine
gunhers. Both OF these divisions have
had hard months. The Twenty-first
and its Yorks and Northumberland men
fought all the way back on our re-
treat, and all the way forward on our
advance. and the Thirty-third did brave
WORK at Meteren near Bailleul. when
We were hardest pressed In April Of
this year and much gallant service
since. A
SO IL has been with the Twenty
fifth Division. Hammered and reham-
mered since March 81 with the Eigh-
teenth Division. and their home county
yesterday II was the Twenty
hfth who fought through Bishops wood
and the Eighteenth who carved their
way through the enemy for three ana
ons-haif miles and then stos7ned and
captured Bousleres.
FURTHER uorth ths SECOND ard Third
RlxI1lo0g ~ n e tz2