The sun., 1918-05-08
'0MIN0US QUIET
PRECEDES DRIVE
DEVILS Dance About to Begin,
Says Perry Robinson. in
Describing Situation.
BY PERRY ROBINSON.
SPECIAL cable De'pIch to Tine S., ,rom ths
London Times

, SPECIAL cable De'pIch TO TnE S.. rom hs
London Times
Copvriohi. 1915 all riehts rcserrrd.
BRITISH ARMY HEADQUARTERS, May s
fdelayed) This has been another day
Of auiet-quiet which is ominous. More
rain fell last night and probably is in
commoding the enemy and sadly delay
ing his plans, but another great blow
surely is impending. The Germans have
had abundance Of time for preparations
and the present break in the weather
cannot be more than temporary him
drance. The devils dance is about to
begin again.
Meanwhile the enemy hardly can find
reason for thinking we are either weak
or discouraged Between the Ancre and
the Somme in the last two nights. on the
line OF Sailly-le-Sac and Morlan-
court, the Australians have made sue
cessive pushes which forced the enemy's
front back. first on a distance of some
700 yards for a front Of l,5o0. then about
500 more on a. front Of 1000
Thrusting the enemy back along the
the immediate pressure upon Amiens
from the Corbie direction. but also as
giving us additional observation OF the
German back areas on the south side
OF the river near Villers- -Bretonneux and
other vital points.
In the two operations besides the
ground they won. the Australians in
f'icted heavy casualties. They took about
zoo prisoners. some machine guns, Sc.
Since | last referred to the achieve
ments OF individual divisions the Com
mander In chief has made special men
ton OF the Twenty ninth. Thirty-third
and Thirty-fourth. The Twenty-ninth
has had a wonderful record in this war.
from the time II was at Gallpoli to the
fiGht'ng In mid-April OF this year.
London knows the division best prob
ably from the performances of the Red
Diamond troop last winter. The Twenty
ninth did magnifcently on the Somme,
and last year had terrific fighting. espe.
cially a, Monchy and Cambria. This
was the division that made the splendid
stand in the Marcong area. completely
holding the German attack of November
30 on our salient. Our trooys fought
with great heroism after the enemy had
broken through their right and their en-
tire conduct was beyond all praise.
When the northern battle began the
division already had seen hard service
in the PasSrhendaele area before it came
into the line at Merris. II was the
troops OF the Twcnty-ninth who restored
the situation at Crolx dc Bac. The diyi-
sion had desperate fighting day and
night at Bac Maur Neuf and Steen-
wercke. II was OF their headquarters |
spoke at the time as finding them In a
barn in amicable company with the
headquarters of Il French unit newly ar
rived ] think ! never have seen men
more worn out or happier than those of
the Twenty-ninth. both there and after
Cambria.
The Thirty-third Division includes the
Worccs,ers and the Kings Royal Rifles,
who on April is held Neuve Eglse
against repeated attacks From April
Io to April II the Thirty-third held the
Germans on the line at West Bailleul
without giving a yard OF ground. Eng
lish and Scottish troops fought equally
well. Every man the division could
muster was put In to hold the positions
The division had hard fighting last
year at Arras, in the battle Of April %,
attacking toward Cherisy and taking
500 prisoners. Toward the end of this
battle It WAS active AT Fontaine les
Croiselles Later. II had some OF the
worst fighting in the Flanders battle.
IN the latter part Of September, at
Carlisle farm and Cameron house Its
whole record is that OF q thoroughly
hard hEhtinE division.