Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-08
Took Place of French.

ION the night of September IS our
troops quietly took the place of the
French, who tflinly held the line in
this sector, which had long been in
active. In the attack which began on
the Goth we drove through the barbed
wire entanglements and the sea of
shell craters across no mans land,
mastering all the frst-1ine defenses.
Continuing on the 9th and 28th
against machine guns and artillery of
serve divisions, we penetrated to a
depth of from three to seven miles and
took the village of Montfaucon and
it's commanding hill and Exermont,
Gercourt, Cuisy, Septsarges, Malan-
very VERY and nai other p' Villages. East 81 tHe
Mouse one of our divisions. which was
with the I'd Colonial French Corps.
captured Marcheville and Rieville,
giving further protection to the flank
Of our main body. We had taken
10000 prisoners, we had gained our
point of forcing the battle into the
open and were prepared for the en-
emy's reaction, which was bound to
come, as he had good roads and ample
railroad facilities for bringing up his
artillery and reserves.
I'm the chill rain or dark nights our
engineers had to build new roads
across spongy, shell-torn areas, repair
broken roads beyond no mans land
and build bridges. Our gunners, with
no thought of sleep, put their shou1-
ders to wheels and dragropes to bring
their guns through the mire in sup
port of the infantry, now under the
Increasing fire Of the enemy's artfl-
lery. Our attack had taken the enemy
by surprise, but, quickly recovering
lied armies were doing their part. 1t
was the fortune of our I'd Corps, COM
posed of the. 9th and 30th divisions,
which had remained with the British,
to have place OF honor in co-opera-
ton with the Australian Corps on Sep
TENDER 20 and October in the assault
on the Hindenburg line where the ST.
Quentin canal passes through a tunnel
under a ridge. The 30th Division
speedily broke through the main line
of defense for all its detectives. while
through the main line until some Of
it's elements reached Gouy. In the
midst of the maze of trenches and
shell craters and under cross fire from
machine guns the other elements
fought desperately against odds. In
this and in later actions, from October
to October 10, our I'd Corps captured
over 5000 prisoners and advanced over
thirteen miles. The spirit and ag-
gressiveness Of these divisions have
been highly praised by the British
army commander under whom. they
served.
October 2-9 our I'd and c6th di-
visions were sent to assist the French
in an important attack against the
old German positions before Rheims.
The I'd conquered the complicated de-
Tense works on their front against a
persistent defense worthy of the
grimmest period Of trench warfare
and attacked the strongly held wooded
hill of Blanc Mont, which they cap
tured in second assault, sweeping
over 1t with consummate dash and
skill. This division then repulsed
strong counter attacks before the viii
lage and cemetery of Ste. Etienne and
took the town, forcing the Germans
to fall back from before Rheims and
yield positions they had held since
September, 1914. October 9 the 36th
Division relieved the I'd and, in its
first experience under fire. withstood
very severe artillery bombardment
and rapidly took up the pursuit of the
enemy, now retiring behind the Aisne.
'The allied progress elsewhere
cheered the efforts of our men in this
crucial contest, as the German COM
mand threw in more and more first.