The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-10-04
BRITISH
rconrtrued from Page ore.)

coming 50 short Of Ammunition 1nat
,,uny OF the higher officers are alarmed,
but Ia the retreat tbs destruction OF
du1rps has boen absolutely 4ecesstnted.
In the battle between Cambria and 81.
Quentin the Australians ana hns itsh
were assisted by large numbers OF tanks,
which carried out their tSsks VIII 'i''
customary efficiency.
Some few Of these tanks were nianneo
by Americans who had been attached TO
British tank units. ~ 49,,
reports from av1ators Say that wv
tanks have rolled rapidly over the coun-
try, materially helping the infantry 70
clear out the Germans who had made o
drive for cover from the hurricane OF
British shells. .,,o
as the in1antry gained gronna o1 t ,S
british guns wcre constantly moved up
20 positions from which they coull con-
time pounding the Germans, who, at
1cast In the northern battle area, seeIneo
to DO in full flight. ,4,.
Tne roads IN the general direction
east Of Gouy are reported full Of trans.
ports and men and some bodies OF
troops have reached pointD at least nVe
miles In tho rear. No new ferman
troops appeared in the battle mere, a.
known that the position was bound TO pe
attacked
md one in which the British command
ers find considerable satisfaction
Among the towns captrred on this
battle front arc Gouy, LIE Carelet, RAM
court, SeQuehart, wiancourt and Beaure-
voir.
Eeavy machine gun lighting is going
on In Montbehtau and on tho hills TO tho
southeast Of KIInicourt-
Among tho English divisions which
have made deep gains In this sector IN
the recent fighting Is the FoTty-Sixth,
commanded by q ma1or-geueraI' VINO "as
a private In tho South African war. 1t
was this division which first crossed tho
Hindenburg line at st. Quentin Canal,
north Of Benenglise last Sunday.
The entire division attacked from
point 1000 weSt Of the canal and v1rtu-
ally aunihhated all the Germans holding
the frst Hindenburg line there. then, be-
INK unable tn see twenty feet because Of
tn dense fog. these soldiers followed the
explosions Of their barrlGe to the canal
banks. where under the leadership OF
oripadicr general, already the winner OF
the Victoria Cross, plunged into the
water.
The opposite bank vas. lined with Ger
man machine guns. Some OF tho BRUSH
wore life belts, removed for the occasion
from the '1eave" boats plying between
england and France, while others plung-
ed boldly in ana SWAN across through
the Nerfect hail Of bullets. Some wont
hand over hand across life lines. Only
one man WAS drowned in the whole oper-
alton
once on the other bank the men Of this
north midland division INN ediatcly
plunged into the fight, fought their way
up the slippery canal banks, Went oves
the enemy parapets and finished OH nun;
dycds In every section with bayonets and
rifles and pistols fred at point blank.
The terrified Germans Just a little bit
further back, saw the performance and
ran for their lives. During the opera
dash and quick fighting took 4.2oo prison
ers, 70 cannon more than 1000 machine
guns and great quantities Of VAR mater
1nl.
and tanks had stormed the west half Of
/ tho town and were reported rapidly to be
| clearing tho enemy from the remainder
Of IL.
troops had reached positions which indt-
Gated they werc striking for Rancourt-
| le-Grand and Fresnoyle- Grand while
the German main bodies appeared ia
havo begun to flee from tho ground tc
J the northeast Of lie Catelet.
The total casualty list Of the British
was only 500. This Is regarded as the
greatest fsaE ever performed by Brit.
| ish division.
In addition to the difficulties already
related. the ground over which the mon
| attacked east Of the canal lAy between
j two hills. on either side Of which tho
/ Germans has their field guns. The smoke
barrago and the terrific bomEarlmcnt
from the British cannon kept the Ger,
mans fairly quiet until the canal hal
been crossed, but then many batteries
! began firing down on the advancing
Enrlish-aeu. In many instances the en-.
| envy gins were charged by groups 81
Englfshmen and finished off in hand tc
hand fighting.
Que battery Of three IT'S en- the tor
OF hill was especially obnoxious and
part Of n company charged riC2lt into tht
mouths Of the gums With the German
! aring at the Engltshmcn point blan}
with open siEhts. Luckily they sent the
shells over the heads of tho ErgliGhmnn
Tie EnE1ish1ner finally reached thu
guns as they were firing on six tank
which trictlcd down intn the battlefclt
from the north, and every German gun
ner was hayoucttcd TO dc7th. Even TO
day one OF these Gc"-nan runners Is "
1nG across his gun carriage with hi: