The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-07-05
Australians Ride Atop Tanks,
Grinning Like Boys, in Blow
Which TakesHamelF From Hun

carthworks called the pear trench"
which bulged ont in a small salient,
the Australians had to creep up close
and lie there before the attack. 1t was
$40 when the infantry was to move and
two minutes before then the drumfire
began with deafenlng roar.
1T reminded me of PosSieres," said
an Australian officer who wears
wound stripe dating from the old bat
tie 1t reminded him Of Possieres be-
cause OF the tremendous concentration
Of artillery and its tumult of fire. I'm
der this widespread flight of shclls-the
bomhardmcnt extended over wide
front-thc tanks started forward Smoke
screens were sent mp in front of them
in dense clouds which lay low on the
ground to hide them from the German
anti-tank guns, and into this fog they
went, noslng their way at a steady
pace
Beside the officers and crews shut
up inside their steel walls working en-
gineS and guns, there were three or
four men sitting on top utterly exposed
Their legs dangled over the sides OF the
tanks like those of boys going for a
joy ride, and in this way they rode into
the hell fire as 1t seemed to men watch
ing them, because OF the smoke screens
and flashes OF shells beyond.
The infantry followed in waves, loose
open lines OF men, extending forward
as they went close TO the barragc roll
ing slowly on ahead OF them, so close
that they took the risk OF being wound
ed by our own fire. But they preferred
this risk to the more deadly one Of
lagging behind and giving time for the
German machine gunners to get to work
Tanks Have Easy Going.
There were only a few places where
the German machine guns opened fire
and gave trouble One of these posi-
tionS was in the pear trench" where
no tank could get into position and
here the enemy fought stubbornly, fir
ing machine guns with a persistent tat
too until they we're rushed by the Aus
tralians.
Elsewhere some German anti-tank
guns fired some rounds and three or
four of our tanks were put out of ac-
ton for a while, but the casualties were
small and most of our pen rounded up
large numbers of Germans, sweeping
the country with their fire, maneuver-
ing over all this ground with the in
fantry in their wake and returning safe
" TO our side of the lines when their
mornings work was done
ApzacS Demand Surrender
All this battle happened in a kind OF
| a twilight at three o'clock There was
the faint light of the dawn over the
trenches and woods and ten minutes
later there was fair visibility for
three hundred yards as tested on an
other morning by the Australian staff
officers. In this half light. logged over
| certain lines by the smoke wreathcs.
the Australians made their way shou,
| ing for the enemy TO surrender. In
most cases the Germans gave no trou-
Bile, but held their hands up and meekly
came out Of their trenches and dug
outs. huddling together without their
weapons and showing no sign Of fight
ing
Airplanes Swarm Like Bats.
They had been utterly surprised and
were caught 50 quickly that our troops
we're through them and beyond them
before they could put up defense with
any hope Of holding their ground. They
submitted to the inevitable fate that
was on them, and were glad to follow
their escorts back before their own
guns should annihilate them.
Above the fog and in pale sky over
this battlefield flew many airplanes.
They were like swarm of bats over
the heads of the infantry and swooped
low TO drop bombs on the German posi-
tions; they flung many bombs into the
little ruined village OF Hamel, making
hell OF the place and lighting fires
there in advance of the assault Many
Germans had gas masks on when they
came eiUut of the holes III the lround