The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-08-04
AUSTRALIANS 'FULL
BLOOD BROTHERS"
TO AMERICANS
In the Opinion of Lieut.. Gen. Sir John
Monash, COMMANDMENT. Chief of
Australians, Because Both
Delivered the Goods"
When Called On.


London Aug. Correspondence of the
Associated Press) Australia and
American soldiers are "full blood broth
ers" in the opinion OF Lieut. Gen. Sir
John Monash, commander in-chief of the
Australian forces in the war, because
the Americans were never placed In any
position, nor called upon to perform any
duty, when, as the general expressed 1t
in an Independence day speech here to-
night, they did not deliver the goods"
General Monash said he first reached
this conclusion in the early dawn Of the
Fourth of July, 1918, when for the first
time, Australian troops, fighting side by
side with the Americans in the Somme
sector, won the battle of Hamel and gave
the allied arms the first success they
had achieved since The Germans began
their memorable advance on March 81.
This battle was the turning point
OF the war" said General Monash. 1T
was brilliant and unqualified success,
and its effect upon the morale, both of
the enemy and of our own men, was cleo
trio and startling. 1t became the model
of all subsequent achievements in
France, and it paved the way for the
great counter offensive in August"
The American troops engaged, the gen
eral said, were 900 men from the SD
division, commanded by General John
Bell. The SD division was then under
going training. General Monash said he
had asked and obtained permission to
employ 1000 of the Americans in the
battle of Hamel, but on the eve of the
battle the permission was withdrawn
Il passed strenuous and exciting pc
Rod Of two hours" continued General
Monash. $50 far as | could learn the or
der originated in some misunderstanding
at American general headquarters as to
the state of preparedness for battle Of
this division.
Il could not afford to have my battle
plans ruined at the last moment by the
withdrawal of large fraction of my as
saulting infantry, so | went to my army
commander and delivered an ultimatum
If the Americans were not allowed to re-
main in the order of battle, then the bat
tie in the morning would be off Unless
decision was given by o'clock that
night the battle would go on with the
Americans in it as planned We man
aged TO intercept the commander in. chief
and he gave the order, Garry on
Those 900 Americans covered them
selves with glory, and ! can pay them
no greater compliment than by saying
that from that day on our Australian
veterans took them to their hearts as
full blood brothers"
General Monash declared that the l3lst
American regiment Of the 33d division, in
company with the 18th Australian bril-
gade, fought a most gallant and sue
cessful series of actions which resulted
in the capture of Chipilly Spur" When
the great counter offensive was launched
by Australians and Canadians in the
Somme sector on Aug. s, 1918. This, :"
he said, made secure my left flank
thereby enabling me to get astride OF the
valley of the Somme and hunt the enc
my clean out of it for 20 miles"
General Monash had under his com.
mand in the closing days of the war the
whole I'd American army corps. more
than 10000 men Of the eth and Goth
American divisions. This army, he said,
overthrow the Hindenburg defense sys.
tenn at its most strongly defended
point" The share of the American divi.
sons in these operations was character
lied by General NJ mash as probably
the greatest single American feat Of
arms achieved in the whole war" The
operations were completed on Oct. s, he
said, and it was on chat night that "the
Germans threw up the sponge and de
clared their willingness to make peace on
our own TERMS
Il have been asked over and over again
to express my opinion of tho American
troops" General Moaash continued. II
am not going TO be so foolish as to at
tempt to do so here and now, am only
going to say IN yo1r own expressive
vernaeular that at all times and in ev-
cry place where | have used them, the
American troops delivered the goods.
you may well believe that this close
association in war of such large bodies
of Australians and Americans has erect
ed a very real and lasting friendship be-
tween our two demoeracies The founda-
tions Of that friendship had already been
laid many years before by the visit of
the American battle feet to Australia.
81 can assure you that Australia at
taches much Importance to securing and
maintaining the friendship of America.
We look upon the United States as our