New-York tribune., 1919-03-07
What the 9th Did

Inc = 'ln DIVISION comes back from
France with imperishable laures 1t has
won place in history, for it participated
with brilliant success in one of the most
dramatic and critical operations of the
war-the storming of the Hindenburg
line southwest of lie Catelet
The Hindenburg line was in reality not
a line but a zone eight or ten miles deep,
strengthened by two years Of labor into
an apparently impregnable barrier. Only
a few days before the American-British
attack of September 20 an eminent Ger
man military critic, General Baron Won
Ardenne, boasted in the Berliner Taqe-
blctt that it was impregnable.
He was mistaken. The Foch offensive
had reached point of development early
in September at which no German de-
fence line in France could stop it,
The 27th Division fought on September
% along one of the toughest sectors of
the Hindenburg zone. Here, near the
place where the Scheldt Canal plunges
for distance into a subterranean chan
mel, the Germans had constructed q
labyrinth of trenches. 1t contained manv
underground passages, which fact had
been disclosed few days before, when
American units, advancing on the en-
emy's outpost lines, found themselves cut
off by Germans issuing from outlets in
their rear.
On the right of the 9th was the 3Oth
American Division, whose line swung
little to the southeast in order to connect
with the British 46th Midland Division.
which was attacking toward the north
The 30th, favored by position, made a
more complete break-through than the
9th did. But no division in the attack.
which virtually pierced and rolled up the
German line below lie Catelet, fought
more determinedly and with more glory
than the 9th did.
1t IS pertinent to quote here the tribute
paid to these two divisions in a dispatch
to The London Times under date of Sep-
tember 30, written by Mr. C. E. W. Bean.
special war correspondents:
"SOme Gur- 1-bo F,,n
American attack yesterday can be told the
American people Will have every reason
20 thrill with pride at those magnificent
!. troops upon whom the tremendous task
- of yesterday fell Never in this war have
| seen keener or Drawer soldiers or more
intelligent and high-minded men. These
two divisions, young in experience, were
faced with the formidable task of break
ing through two double systems of the
greatest defence line the Germans ever
constructed, at the end where the enemv
knew 1T was certain that the attack must
come within few days. The tunnels,
dug-outs and every nook and Granny of
tnat system were garrisoned. Uncertainty
m regard to the position Of their own
front line on the left of the attack made
s the task still more difficult Yet these
troops carried through this formidable
assault and penetrated deeper even than
was intended, and delivered blow which
5 attracted the greater part Of the enemy
opposition, and which, beyond all oues-
ton, enabled the great defence to be
broken in a position which was of tho
utmost importance to the Allied advance"
In his final report on the 1918 cam
. paign Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig,
: under whom the 9th and Goth divisions
! fought, said:
North of Bellingise the goth American
Division (Major General f. NJ. Lewis).
having broken through the deep dcfences
Of the Hindenburg line, storlned Bell-
court and seized Nauroy On their left
The 2th American Division Major Gen
cral J. +. O'Ryan) met with very, heavy
enhlade machine gun fire, but pressed on
with great gallantry, as far as Bony,
where a bitter struggle too, place for the
possession Of the village"
General Pershing had this to say about
the 9th and goth divisions in his pre-
dminary report Of November 20:
ut was the fortune Of our I'd Corps,
composed Of the 9th and goth divisions,
which had remained with the British, to
3. have place Of honor in cooperation with
r r. the Australian Corps on September % and
October / in the assault on the Hindcn-
y burg line where the st. Quentin Canal
passes through tunnel under ridge.
The 3oth Division speedily broke through
the main line Of defence for ell its OBJ
jectives, while the 9th pushed on i'm
" petuously through the main line until
2 some of It's elements reached Gouy. In
the midst oa the maze Of trenches and