The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-01-12
WHICH DIVISION BROKE
THE HINDENBURG LINE?
ID. H. R. In Asheville Citizen)

tive parts LnaC CHe AiIl anu OWL VI
visions played in the breaking of the
Hindenburg line. This controversy
has been pleasantly free of any in
vidious comparisons designed to re-
fleet upon the conduct of the SOL
diers of either of these memorable
military units The admiration that
the divisions entertain for each 9TH
er has not suffered any irreparable
injury in these disputations. The
achievements of American valor in
the engagements around LIE Cateau
were magnificent enough to furnish
due portions of honor to both the
9th and 30th.
The distinction of having been
the first to penetrate the Hinden-
burg line is such an envlable
achievement that it is perfectly ma
tural and altogether human that the
members of these two divisions
should be very prompt in claiming
the honor. Their friends have taken
up the controversy and it is being
carried on with considerable fervor
by the newspapers of the four states
out of which these two units largely
issued.
General Pershing, in his official
statement, reported: "The 30th di-
vision speedily broke through the
main line of defense and captured
all of its objectives, while the 9th
progressed until some of its ele-
ments reached "Gouy." This report
of the commander in chief of the A.
E. F. has been the chief reliance
upon which the admirers of the
3Oth division have leaned in arguing
that the honor Of having first pene-
trated the German lines belongs
truthfully to the soldiers of Old
Hickory.
The 27th division has argued that
this official statement was too brief
and too general to determine the is
sues of the controversy and they
have excepted to the conclusion
which General Pershing apparently
drew.
The New York Times Book Re-
view and Magazine of January 2 at
tempted by a study of oficil records
answer the question, (Which divi-
sion broke the Hindenburg line?"
The article quotes freely from an
official report that was made during
the week of battle by Colonel w. H.
Hayes, who was sent by General
Pershing on October 1 10 investi-
gate what was occurring at LIE
Cateau. The author of this story
states the following conclusions:
"a careful reading of the official
report made up by Colonel Hayes
would suggest a more illuminating
summing up of the operations of
the two divisions about to this eff
feet:
"The 30th division made clean
er, quicker job of the part assigned
to it than did the 9th, but the
handicap of the 9th was greater.
Side by side two divisions took over
sectors held by British and Australi-
an troops. The conditions which the
9th found made it impossible for it
to be helped by artillery and bar
rage support from the time its at
tack started"
1t appears from the quotations
from Colonel Hayes report in the
article that the 9th division was
handicapped at the ouset because
the "jumping-off place" as original
ly provided in the plans had not
been secured by the preliminary at
tacks of the British forces. For sew
eral days prior to the launching of
the offensive on September 29 by
the End American corps, the Aus
tralian corps and the 3rd British ar
my corps made vigorous attacks to
obtain a favorable "jumping-off"
place for the contemplated attack.
The Australian corps succeeded in
accomplishing its part of the mis-
sion and when the 30th division re-
lieved it, it found itself on the pre-
determined jumping off" line. The
3rd British army corps failed to ac-
complish it's mission and "when the
o74L 4oo1, .,,or no po,+ of rho limo If