Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1919-03-27
Sketch of S0th Division Continued
from Page Nine.

30th Division, the Goth Brigade g nent-
ed by units of the ll7th infantry, assaulted
this line on front of 5000 yards captur
ing the entire Hndenburg System of that
sector and advanced still farther, captur-
ing the tunnel system with the German
troops therein and took the cities of
Bellecourt, Nauroy, Riqueval, Carriere,
Eylcourt, Guliaine, Ferme, and Ferme
de Riqueval advancing 1920 yards de-
feating two enemy divisions and taking
as prisoners AZ officers and 1,434 men.
Oct 1st and End the 30th was relieved
by the 5th Australian Division and moved
to back area for we'll earned rest,
but they had scarcely reached this
over the front line in the same sector
from the End Australian Division. On
Oct 9Th, 9th, 10th and 18th the 30th Div
ision attacking each day, advanced 1880
yards, captured many towns and took as
prisoners As officers and 1889 men.
During this operation from Oct 9Th to
18th, the 30th encountered units from IA
German divisions. On Oct l1th and 18th
the Both was relieved by the 9th divis-
ion but returned Oct. 10th and took over
part of the same line at the same place
Their next attack was launched on Oct.
18th. 18th, and 10Th against the 221st,
243rd and 29th German divisions, advanc
ing 5000 yards and capturing 6 officers
and 412 men together with several towns.
During much of the fighting OF this
drive the difficulties of the terrain were
very great. The country was greatly
broken by small patches of woods and
villages and admirably suited to machine
gun defense of which the Germans took |
full advantage In spite Of these diff |
culties the advance continued, often with
out artillery support, but the determine |
ton of the men, their skillful use of all |
arms and the utilization of the broken
terrain kept the advance steadily going
ahead. The 3rd German Naval division,
one of the crack German divisions, was
hastily thrown in in attempt to stop the
victorious advance of the 30th.
After this offensive the 3Oth was with
drawn to the Heely Training Area for
requirements and a we'll earned rest.
Two weeks later when orders for an i'm
mediate return to the front were daily
expected, the Armistice was signed. The
fighting over the II American Corps was
released from the British E. F. with
which it had been associated since it's
arrival in France and transferred to the
American E. F. in the lie Mans Area.
During the above operations the ad-
vance of the 30th was so rapid that there
was no opportunity to gather up and
salvage the great number of guns and
supplies captured, which were left for
the British Salvage troops.
BY partial check it is known that at
least u field artillery pieces, 26 trench
mortars, 426 machine guns and 1892
rifles were captured in addition to
great mass of material. This represents
but portion of the captures. In many
cases field guns captured were turned
over to the artillery and used upon the
fleeing Germans. The total number of
prisoners captured from Sept. 29th to
Oct. goth was SO officers, $3.50 men, while
the losses of the 30th we're small in COM
parison to those suffered by the Boche.
The boys of the "Old Hickory" division
have done their part and did it as wei. as |
American troops have the habit of doing, |
and now that it is all over their thoughts |
are homeward turned. The breaking of |
the Hindenburg Line, the most famous
defense system of history, will be some
thing to tell to Posterity."