The sun., 1918-11-11
N. Y. MEN CRACKED
HINDENBURG LINE
Australian Commander Gives
Organs Troops Credit for
Smashing Defences.
GENERAL ESCAPES DEATH
Four Despatch Riders Killed
Within Ten Feet OF Where
He Stood.

IL was the IWenty-beNeHtn DlNisioH
OF tho American Army. composed prin-
cipaily OF New York National Guard
troops. that made possible the shattef-
Ing OF the Hindenburs line in northern
France early in September. and the ex-
plot earned for the division an official
letter OF praise from the Australian COM
nander who saw the New York troops
drive forward, leaving their dead with
| their faces toward the front"
The story OF the divisions gallant
fight is told in a letter sent from the
battle front on October 4 and published
yesterday by the Army and Navy Jour
nal. The letter reveals that the TWEEN
ty-seventh Division now Ia recognized az
q shock division, and that It's comman-
der. Major-Gen. John F. Organ. re-
Gently narrowly escaped death when n
shell burst beside him and killed four
| despatch riders.
"If the folks at home could see the
battlefield the Twenty seventh Division,
U. g. A., recently went over. as n part
OF the Fourth British Army, under Gen.
Sir II. S. Rawlinson." the letter says
they would stand aghast at the great
! number OF dead Germans everywhere
can assure you they are being most
| beautifully sent of the earth TO a place
where they can engage in no further
crimes against humanity. They are be-
ing paid In full Some OF the German
dead are mere boys. is or II years OF
! age which plainly shows the German
| man power has gone, and that their
army Is done for
In the Cambrai Drive.
Our headquarters at present are in
former German headquarters that were
held by them since 1910, and II cost
some fighting TO get them. The Aus
tralian and other British troops have the
greatest admiration for the Twenty
seventh Division. We certainly have the
same for them. and the praise they
have bestowed upon US will make i'm
portant history
I'VE have been in the battle line in
the great Cambria drive since September
20, steadily moving forward, fighting
The Huns and battering them to pieces
We have lived In cellars. houses without
roofs. huts, dugouts with numerous rats
for company, and we have dined In she'll
holes with heaps OF dead Germans all
about uR. Some life, With no absence
OF variety.
"Major-Gen. John r. Organ. COM
handing the Twenty-seventh Division.
! IL one Of the coolest men under intense
fire of all kinds you could ever imagine
When a German shell struck the ground
within ten feet of him recently and
! killed four despatch riders and wounded
Major King tho General calmly lit
| another cigarette and never budgcd.
He has proved a most level headed and
efficient commander
Major James l.. Kincaid. former
Judge Advocate OF the Division StaY.
who was glad to be reduced TO Major
In order 10 remain on the battle line TO
fight the Hun. has certainly delivered
the goods. He volunteered to take a
battalion OF the Io6th Infantry over. the
top and was one Of the few Officers to
| come out OF the battle unframed. The
Major has made a great reputation.
with the Fourth British Army we
pushed through the formidable linden
burg line. which the Germans imagined
could not be broken. Well, we helped
| break It, all right. and how wen we
| accomplished our part Is shown In an
| official letter OF praise to Gen. Organ
| from Lieut. Col. H. Murray. command
ing the Fourth Australian Machine Gun
Battalion. This letter also explains
| some of the features OF the battle not
| generally known In the States. and
which will prove interesting.
Suffered Heavy Casualties,
"well, when the Twenty seventh Divi-
| sion hit the Hirdenburg line the Aus
| tralians went through us, and then their
| cavalry went through them. The Twen-
| ty-seventh acted as shock troops They
| cannot be commended too highly for
| the magnificent work they did.
I'VE have quite a casualty list. but
mostly wounded. Capt. George e
| Brooklyn and so many years on the
| State rife team) was killed. together
with several other officers. In many
cases all officers were put out OF action
| and also on-commissioned officers, and
in one case a bugler was In command
Of a company. The place WAS alive
with machine gun nests. but the boys
went on, in numerous cases too far, and
| in other cases. where men lost their
commands. they Joined the Australians
! and for a couple OF days We did not
| know where they were.
zone battalion OF the 101th Infantry
| (old Seventh Regiment. New York; adj
vanced 40 far that they had the Ger
mans between them and our lines. but
! they held out We sent airplanes with
food and ammunition and the Aus
! trauans came up ana renewed tnem.
All Died Facing Front.
1.-THE following is the letter from the
Australian commander commencing the
Twenty seventh Division:
| France. Sept. 30. 1918.
ITO the Commanding General Twenty
seventh Division: In making a personal
reconnaissance of the battlefield east and
northeast OF Duncan Post on the morn
ing OF September 80 Il was evident from
the outset the troops OF the Twenty
seventh Division had met with very
heavy opposition and machine gun FIRE,
which was enfllading them. There were
very large number OF dead all OF
which were lying with their faces toward
the front. obviously being killed as they
were advancing.
| mot in any one case was there a man
moving backward when killed. Owing
to the nature OF the country. the Ger
mans were able TO get enfilading ma :
chine gun fire which proved very dis
astroua Although the Twenty-seventh
Division may not have taken their OBJ
jectives in all parts. II 10 very evident
that by their gallant fighting on the left
flank they enabled tho Thirtieth Di-
vision, on their right. to do what they
had set out to do. viz, to break the
Hindenburg line. Without the gallant
fighting of the men OF the Twenty
seventh Division II would have been I'M
possible for the Thirtieth Division TO
/ advance.
RECKONING of the End.
! "I am convinced that the officers and
mon Of the Tyenty-seyenth riyiu,a,,