New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-03-01
9Th Staff Officer Giues
Details of Heroic Record
Relates Divisions War Story From Departure at
Newport News to Final Smash Through Hin
denburg Line, When Enemy's Gibraltar Was
Seized by New York Men

The epic tale Of the war career Of
the 9th Division was told yesterday
by Lieutenant Colonel W. P. Starr, as.
sistant chief Of staff of "New York's
Own" division, at luncheon given by
the Bond Club at the Bankers Club.
Precisely why the city can feel more
than a normal pride in the returning
division was indicated in the laconic
language Of participant In heroism
seldom eQualled. The job Of the divis-
ion, the lieutenant colonel pointed out
was to break through the Gibraltar OF
the Hindenburg line. 1t succeeded
Although the divisional casualties were
tremendous, the staff officer said 1.-THE
casualties were not out of proportion
to the detectives gained"
"That," he said, twas the task as
signed to the 9th New York Division
to break the line where, few weeks
before, the 74th British Division and
detachments Of Australians had been
hurled back, with about 80 per cent
casualties. 1t was the keystone to
Prince Rupprecht's exit. That being
broken, they had no defence. They
had worked almost four years on this
point, and this line had never been
lost. 1t was the great plan Of a great
general, Won Hindenburg."
Sank U-Boat on Trip
The lieutenant colonel began with
the sailing Of the division from New
port News. His simple recital of the
monumental achievement follows:
"The division left for France in MAY.
1918, all Of it's units leaving from New
port News, with the exception of one
regiment, which left from Hoboken.
We were informed on leaving Newport
News that word had been received at
the embarkation headquarters that a
German submarine was operating sew
eral hundred miles from the French
coast. We met it 600 miles out. Two
destroyers sank it with depth charges,
oil showing on the surface of the
water.
ave arrived in St. Nazaire on Deco
ration Day. We were we'll inside Belle
Isle when we were attacked by three
submarines. We had nine ships in our
convoy. These submarines also were
credited to the navy.
ION arriving were were taken tc the
organization camp outside of the small
town, and within q few days were moved
to position on the banks Of the
Somme, in the rear Of the British
lines, and attached to the 10th British
Corps, I'd British Army. There we
began preliminary training of battle
formation in dummy trenches, and in
July we were moved forward into Bel
GUM, in front of the positions of
Ypres and Mount KENNEL.
Praise From British
"A little comment that was made at
the time by Major General Marden,
commanding the 9Th British Division,
is of interest. He had just returned
from making an inspection Of front
line trenches. Things had been bad.
The Boche had been very nasty, and
Prince Rupprecht's group of armies
had twenty fresh divisions in
reserve at that time.
NATURALLY, things did not look too
bright. General Marden, when he re-
turned that morning, said, Your troops
went down in the lines this morning.
1t was a marvellous sight! I think
they were a trihe nervous, but they
went in shaking their heads and
laughing, and, you know, have not
seen a smile out of our boys in n
month. When they saw your boys
come into the lines smiling, they be-
gan to laugh, to show that they we're
not afraid
Prepare for First Attack
"On August 81, our division occu-
pied the sectors formerly occupied by
the 9Th and 41st British Divisions.
Allied successes in the south had
drawn portion Of Prince Rup-
prccht's reserves thence. We felt that
.i'e IiItie uhu COIHc 10 attaCk the POSI-
tions at Mount Kennel General Haig
issued the orders that the attack
should begin.
"rhe 9th and the 30th Divisions
composed the second American Army
corps. We drove wedge behind
Mount KENNEL TINT caused the evucu-
alton of that point.
After two days fighting, on Sen
tember 2, we were withdrawn md
taken to the south to rest. We had
been in the trenches at that time
about six weeks, and our mon wero
rather tired. We spent two weeks in
recuperating at small town to the
south of Toulons, and on September rs
we occupied position in front of
inc st. Quentin Canal tunnel, tun-
ne' which was constructed by Napo-
leon in 1911.
We had from captured documents
that the great German general head
quarters had facilities for feeding into
the famous Hindenburg line, which
was directly in front Of 1t, it's re-
serve troops. The Boche had filled
tow path completely with canal bonts.
had built hunks in the canal boats. and
had sealed both ends Of the tunnel
with concrete walls four feet thick.
placing machine gun posts in defence
at either end.
"ln front of the tunnel was tho out.
post position of the Hindenburg line,
which consisted of three more trench.
es, with broad belts of coilcd barbcd
barbed wire was so thick that no hu-
man being could cross it without the