The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-03
CONAN DOYLE
SEESYANKSAND
ANZACS BATTLE
Describes Scene When Hin
denburg Line Was
Shattered.
~
SHELLS COME TOO CLOSE
Author Says No Man Will Stay
in Range Unless Respond
ing to Duty.
SHELLS COME TOO CLOSE

C. ". Boon, official correspondent Of
the Australian Government IN France,
told IN THE SUN yesterday Of the toor-
dortui charge Of the Americans and
Australians over the Htndenbur0 line
In his despatch Mr.. Bean prote that
Sir Joseph Cook, Minister Of the Austrdl-
ian Navy. and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle,
the noveIist, visited the centre Of the bat
tic ground mentioned IN the despatch
and that they uere pithin ESQ yards Of
Bellicourt, obtaintnD probably the best
aud closest pietc Of q battle it has ever
been possible for q Minister Of the
Crotcn to haue. The Australian SOL
diers ,ccre keerly Interested IN the cre-
ator of Sherlock Holmes, and needless
TO say he pos equally Interested IN
them. Sir Arthur gave q cord picture
Of uhdt he suu.
ny A. CONAN DOYLE.
Special Cable Despatch to The srS from the
London Times Service.
Copyright. 1s1s: oil rights reserped.
WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN FRANCE
Oct. 3
Mine eyes hath seen the glory of the
coming of the Lord:
He Is tramplinE out tho vintage where
the grapes Of wrath are stored
The grand and mystical lines OF julia
Ward Howe rang In my head an
found myself an actual witness of this
one of the historical episodes Of the
greatest Of wars. With my own eyes
saw a rent made in the vaunted Hin
denburg line, with the men who made
it still pushing through when I left
them.
Even now / can hardly realize that
I saw what l did. At the kindly in
vitation OF the Australian Government
1 found myself on their front. Let me
try to transcribe what saw.
1t was II o'clock when we reached
the edge OF the battlefield. Sunday
September 20. I'VE" refers to Sir
Joseph Cook. Colonial statesman
Commander Latham. naval attache
and myself. with Capt. Plunket, twice
wounded Australian officer, as shep-
herd. The programme of the day was
already clear in our heads. American
divisions were to rush the enemy's
front line, and Australian divisions
were to follow them and pass through
them. carrying the battle front for
ward.
Americans Had Done Their Part.
Already as we arrived the glad news
came that the Americans had done their
part, and that the Australians had Just
been unleashed; also that the Germans
were standing to 1t like men. As our car
threaded a crowded street in the ruins
of Templeux we met the wounded com
ing back. They were in covered cars
with nothing visible. Some. however
were walking. some with bandaged arms
| and faces some supported by Red Cross
men. a few in pain. but most of then
| smiling behind cigarettes.
with them came the first clump oi
prisoners, pltiable, yet / could not pit,
the weary. shufffing. hangdog creatures
without a touch OF nobility in their fea
tures or their bearing. The village wal
| full of Americans and Australians, ver1
much alike in type. We gladly woulc
have fingered. for 1t was all Of thu
greatest interest, but there was greater
interest ahead.
After passing the heavy gun positions
we were among fields OF smaller gum
and the noise was deafening. British
howitzer battery was hard at work and
we stopped to chat with Major and hi
crew who had been at 1t for Elk hour
but who were still in great good humol
and chuckled nightly when blast from
their gun nearly drove in our eardrums
Leaving the grinning British gunner
| we pushed on under a screaming panopl!
| Of our own shells. The wild, empt!
waste of the moor was broken by {
single shallow gravel pit In which W,
closer we found II to be an advanc'
dressing station. with about a hundred
American and Australian gunners and
| orderlies In the dugouts that had beei
built in the sides OF the pit, II had beer
an American battalion headquarters VI
to few hours before.
where English Met Fate.
We were now about thousand yard
from the Hindenburg line. and
learned with emotion that this spot wal
one Of the advanced outposts o
Coughs army where Englishmen suf
fersd so glorious and tragic a fate II
that great artillery epic Of March 21--
one Of the grandest Of the whole war.
| The fact that we were now standini
I'm this redoubt showed me az nothInI
else could how completely we have 30