The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-09-24

American troops who had been train ing in this section. Some of the
 Americans had been refused permis-
 sion to go forward, but had donned
 Australians uniforms. It was after this
 battle that King George asked some
 Australians, notably not tender with
 the Germans what they thought of the Americans. Very much all right, sir" was the reply "but bit rough.
 The Canadians had been brought sud
 denly from the Lens front after feint
 bad been made there)
 Between the Somme and the Luce the enemy penetrated deep into our positions. The divisions in line at that point allowed themselves to be com pletely overwhelmed. Divisional staffs were surprised in their headquarters
 by enemy tanks The breach very
 soon extended across the Luce steam; | the troops that were stilI gailantly
 resisting at MoreuiI were rolled up. l To the northward the Somme inn 1 posed a halt our troops in action | north of the river had successfully par ried a similar assault.
 l EXHAUSTED MEN PUT IN ef /, The exhausted divisions that had l been relieved a few days earlier and l that were lying in the region south |
 alarmed and set in motion by the com mander of the 2nd Army. At the | same time he brought forward towards | the breach all other available troops. The Rupprechr army group de- spatched reserves thither by train. 1 The 18th Army threw its own reserves
 directly into the battle from the south 1 east and pushed other forces forward
 in the region northwest of Rove. On
 an order from me the 9th Army too i although itself in danger, had to con tribute. Days, of course, elapsed be- fore , troops from more distant areas could reach the spot For their con veyance the most extensive use was made of motor lorries
 By the early hours of the forenoon
 of Aug. s I had already gained n com
 plete impression of the situation.
 was very gloomy one. I immediatei, despatched a general staff officer tt
 the battle field, in order to obtain aI
 idea of the condition of the troops.
 The reserves of the 2nd Army were
 able to stop the enemy's advance or Peronne at a point south of Bray. II
 the direction of Rove the enemy hat
 about reached Arvilliers; south of thu Avre our front had to be bent bacl : from Montdidier onward.
 SIX DIVISIONS WERE BROK EN Six or seven divisions that wer' quite fairly to he described as effec tive, had been completely broken. Three or four others, together witt the remnants of the battereds div sions were available for closing tn broad gap between Bray and Rove The situation was uncommon Onl
 serious If the enemy continued t
 attack with even ordinary vigor, w
 should no longer he able to maintain | ourselves west of the Somme. Blu the End Army would have to hold ol here, while the 18th Army, with it left wing standing fast on the height along the Matz (west of Iassingny swung its right back as far as Rove. This movement was fixed for tn night of August 9-10; should it fai d great enemy victory was possible | On August g. the enemy whose at tack. fortunately for us. was no pressed with sufficient vigor. gaine ground between the Somme and tn Avre. North of the Somme, too, tn | 2nd Army had to fall back a littl ] South of the river, it succeeded i | forming continuous. if thin line These troops fought considerabl better than the divisions between tn l Somme and the Luce had done tn 1 previous day. The good behavior o
 the divisions whicn had been relieve shortly before the battle on accoun | I Northwest of Rove the line held. l The 18th Army was able to carry ou | it's difficult manoeuvre on the nigh | of the 10th. On the following morn Il ing the French vigorously attacke II the original positions of that arm, | which were then evacuated by tn II rearguards according to plan. C H course. it had to leave lot of ma HI terial behind.
 M The stand made by the End Army H and the withdrawal of their line by tn III 18th on the night of the 10th. had i'm H proved the situation between tn H Somme and Rove. Reserves, too. Ina
 arrived and strengthened the front o III the End Army.
 H ONE ARMY IN BAD SHAPE HI On the 10th and 11th severe but sue H cessful fighting took place on our posi- III tions south of Albert and between tn III Somme and the Avre, whilst betwee III the Ayre and the Disc the enemy fol rn at