The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-04-08

iiitnt h1 lhsst y tlt 't N y " Y 4i{s
from Belgium down into France about
Sept. 5, ana occupied positions In the
back areas of. the Arras front. After
a few days these troops were again
transferred to village near Amiens.
| War really began for the Firty-
| ninth when on Sept. % it reached
| the rear positions of the allied line
| near Bellicourt. From that time un-
til the great offensive was launched
on Sept. 20 the Thirtieth division was
subjected to gruelling shell fire, high
explosive shells and gas. The last
general conference of officers was
held on Sept. 2S. Tho eloquent and
most touching speech made by Gen.
Tyson to the men of his brigade on
| the eve of the battle in which they
won the unqualified praise of allied
, commanders, proves the gentle Chris
| tian character Of this officer who is
| noted for his thorough military dis
cipllne.
The attack launched against the
Hindenburg line north of st. Quentin
at 5: so in the morning of Sept. % was
preceded by several days Of terrific
bombardment and by a fearful bar
rage on the morning of the offensive.
In addition TO the terrific barrage
laid down by British and Australian
artillery, which was one Of the heav-
lest of the war; q dense curtain of
smoke completely sui1 ounded the ad-
vancing troops. The obstacles seemed
almost insurmountable but every man
was determined that the Huns should
be driven back and they followed the
tanks. working and fighting their way
through miles of Larbed wire en-
tanglements. The first troops to reach
their objective in this menora hle at
tack were of the Fifty-ninth brigade.
Facing whitening fire from ma
chine guns and artillery an advance
of approximately four miles was
made and all objectives were reached
in the appointed time. The positions
won in this battle were hetd by our
troops until Oct. 2, when they were
ordered back to a rest camp at
Hameh arriving there on the morn
ing of Oct. 4. On the afternoon OF
the same day they were again ordered
into action. The major activities OF
the Thirtieth division after this date
are recounted by Field Marshal Sir
Douglas Haig IN his official com
mendation OF the Thirticth and
Twenty seventh divisions:
"In the course of the past three ]
weeks, the Twenty seventh and Thir-
teth divisions of the second American
corps, operating with the Fourth
British army, nave taken part with
great gallantry and success IN three
major offensive operations. besides
hi, 4 l.
attacks. In the course of this fight
ing they displayed soldierly qualities
of a high order and have materially
assisted in the success of our attacks. !
Having fought with the utmost
cash and bravery in the great at
tack of Sept. % in which Che Hin |
denpurg line was broken. and having
on this occasion captured the villages I
of Bellicourt and Nauroy with a
large number of prisoners on Oct. :. !
the troops Of the second American /
army corps again attacked in the |
neighborhood of Mont Brehain.
'TD three days Of successful fight !
ing they completed an advance of ten !
miles from Mont Brehain TO st. Soup |
let, overcoming determined resistance |
and capturing several strongly de- |
Tended villages and woods. Through 1
out the past three Gays the two
American divisions have again at /
tackled daily and or each occasion
with complete success. though the 1
enemys resistance was most obsti- |
nate.
"F'ignting their wav forward from 1
ST. Souplet to the high ground west l
of the Sambre canal they hg- Il
broken the enemy's resistance at all
points. beating off many counter at
tacks and realizing an advance OF
nearly FIVE miles. over 5000 prisoners
and many guns have been taken bs /
the two American divisions in thesc'
several operations"