Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/274A/1 - 1918 - 1941 - Part 6

inflicting heavy losses on the German Air Force.
he morale and fighting spirit of the Russian
pilots have greatly impressed neutral observers,
who believe that German air losses will continue
to be serious. The failure to eliminate the Russian 
Air Force is believed in some quarters to be
the reason for Goering's reported disgrace.
SYRLAN CAMPAIGN
CLOSED
IN Syria, a convention has been signed and fighting
has ceased. Australian units have marched
into Beirut and other units of the British Army
are moving to occupy strategic areas.
The end of this difficult campaign in Syria is
very welcome. It frees a considerable force for
service elsewhere and removes the danger of a
German infiltrated Syria on the flank of the Suez
Canal. Britain now commands the Mediterranean
coast from the western border of Egypt to the
Turkish frontier, and the new bases in Syria will
enable her to defend Cyprus much more effectively
than from Palestine.
The success of the campaign has also done
much to restore the military and political situation 
which existed in the Middle East before the
capitulation of France and the effect on Turkish
policy should be important. The effect on Arab
and Egyptian morale is also obvious.
ITALYS HEAVY WAR
LOSSES
THE story in figures of the Italians part in the
war must make sorry reading for Italians.
From their entry into the war to the end of June
they had lost 582,000 men. Battle casualties accounted 
for 135,000 men of the Italian Army,
which also lost 241,000 prisoners in Libya, Abyssinia 
and Albania. The prisoners taken in the
Albanian fighting (25,000) were subsequently re-
leased when Greece capitulated to the Germans.
The foregoing figures refer only to white troops.
In addition, 137,000 natives were killed or
wounded in Libya and Abyssinia and 69,000 were
captured. In Libya, 120,000 Italians and 15,000
natives were captured by the British; in Abyssinia, 
96,000 Italians and 54,000 natives.
The Greeks inflicted 100,000 casualties on the Italians
in the campaign in Greece and Albania.
In the air, the Italian Air Force has suffered
very heavily, although no figures are available.
In the first Libyan campaign, it was almost driven
out of the air by the Royal Air Force and Royal
Australian Air Force. The South African Air
Force completely destroyed the Italian squadrons
operating in Abyssinia. The Italian navy has also
suffered heavily at the hands of the British Mediterranean 
Fleet and the Fleet Air Arm.
Italian East Africa has been occupied completely 
by British forces and only a small area of
Abyssinia and Eritrea remains to be cleared of 

Italian troops. Their German allies dominate the
Italian mainland and also Sicily. The Italians have
been given token authority in Albania and parts
of Greece, but for all practical purposes, Italy is
no longer a sovereign State, but a puppet of Germany. 
This is hardly the heroic role that Mussolini 
anticipated when he entered the war a little
over twelve months ago as Hitler's partner in the
conquest of the world.
BRITAIN'S SHIPPING LOSSES
SMALLER
LAST month Britain lost fewer ships than in
any month of the war, except January.
Seventy-nine ships, totalling 329,296 tons were
destroyed by enemy action. Of these, 52, totalling 
228,284 tons, were British, 19 were Allied
(82,727 tons), and the remainder were neutral.
This was a decrease on the previous month of
168,551 tons.
The extension of American patrols further into
the Atlantic has been one of the factors in this
improved position. These patrols, by informing
British ships of the whereabouts of enemy raiders, 
help to destroy the raiders strength-
secrecy. They also relieve to some extent the
enormous task of patrolling 80,000 miles of the
worlds trade routes with which the British
Navy has been faced. As the area to be guarded
by the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force decreases, 
their offensive against submarines and
bombers will become more concentrated and effective. 
This must have a serious effect on the
morale and therefore of the efficiency of enemy
submarine crews. That large convoys are still
crossing the Atlantic after 20 months of unrestricted
submarine warfare is a tribute to Britain's staying power.
The Diplomatic
Field
THE ANGLO-RUSSIAN
AGREEMENT
THE Anglo-Russian agreement of July 12 provides 
that the British and Russian Governments 
mutually undertake to render each other
assistance and support of all kinds in the present
war against Hitlerite Germany, and that during
this war they will neither negotiate nor conclude
an armistice or treaty of peace, except by mutual
agreement.
Australia and the other British Dominions were
fully informed and consulted about the agreement, 
and they fully approved of its signature.
The agreement simply gives effect to the policy
of practical co-operation between Britain and
 

Russia laid down by Mr. Churchill on the outbreak 
of the Russo-German war. Mr. Churchill
then said that Britain would give whatever help
she could to Russia and the Russian people, and
the Dominion Governments wholeheartedly approved 
of this statement of Britain's intentions.
AIM IS TO DESTROY
HITLER
IT is perfectly evident that Hitler's Germany
menaces in equal degree the freedom and independence 
of Britain and Russia. As both countries 
share a common danger, it is eminently
reasonable that they should have taken the
necessary steps to ensure the greatest possible
measure of concerted action to meet that danger.
Mr. Churchill has stated that the Anglo-Russian 
agreement is an alliance, and that it cannot
fail to exercise a beneficial and potent effect on
the war. That alliance has come about through
the logic of events. It is in essence a military
alliance having one aim only, the destruction of
Hitler. That Britain and Russia are military allies
does not mean that Britain intends to adopt the
Bolshevist way of life, or that Russia has become
converted to Capitalism. As one diplomatic commentator 
put it "We can argue about the differences 
in the forms of the Russian and British
Governments afterwards. First, we must get rid
of the danger to both forms of Government"
The agreement provides a satisfactory basis for
the closest military, economic and technical cooperation 
between Britain and Russia. Apart from
these, considerations, the new, relationship
between the two countries will be enormously
helpful in stimulating the morale of both peoples.
Any doubts there may have been that Britain and
Russia were not wholeheartedly together in a
struggle in which the very survival of each is at
stake have been removed. There is now the
clearest possible evidence that Britain and Russia
are irrevocably bound together in the fight
against Nazism, in what the Soviet Foreign
Minister, M. Lozovsky, has described as
mighty and effective coalition between freedom-
loving peoples.
HITLER'S PLAN
THWARTED
WHEN Hitler turned against Russia, he hoped,
by posing as the leader of an anti-Communist
crusade and resurrecting the bogey of Bolshevism, 
which he had conveniently interred for
nearly two years, to confuse the Government of
the United States, about the real issue at stake
in this war. Unfortunately for him, he has in no
way succeeded in this object.
The United States Government was fully
aware of the negotiations for the Anglo-Russian 

agreement, and it is thought in diplomatic circles
that the successful conclusion of the agreement
will increase American public support for United
States aid to Russia.
JAPANESE CABINET
RESIGNS
THE official explanation given in Tokio for the
resignation of the Japanese Cabinet was attributed 
to the desire to make room for a stronger
Government which could deal with the national
and international situation. Prince Konoye's Government 
will remain in office for the time being,
and until the personnel of the new Cabinet has
been finally determined, it is impossible to say
whether the change of Government will lead to
Japanese policy becoming increasingly aggressive
or whether more moderate councils will, for the
time being, prevail.
Of late, the more militant section of the
Japanese press has severely criticised the Government 
for its failure to disclose the policy decided 
on at the Imperial Conference held on
July 2, and has demanded that the Government
should clarify its attitude to the international
situation and offer strong leadership to the
people.
One section of the press is stressing the necessity 
for stronger political leadership in order to
put Japan on a total war footing; another is advocating 
the liquidation of the Sino-Japanese dispute 
on the basis of national policy alone, and
urging that Japan should not on this account
allow herself to become involved in the World
War.
SOUTHERN DRIVE
SUGGESTION
SOME diplomatic commentators consider that
there are definite indications that Japan is
planning a further drive southwards in the near
future. They point to the significant criticism
in the Japanese press of Indo-China's attitude to
Japan, which has been described as co-operation
with Britain and the United States to the detriment 
of Japanese efforts to bring Indo-China
within the sphere of the new Japanese economic
order in East Asia.
A press campaign of this kind, it is suggested,
may well be designed to prepare the way for the
seizure of further bases in Indo-China, especially
when this campaign has coincided with the requisitioning 
of merchant ships and the recall of
others to Pacific waters. The Governor-General
of Indo-China (Admiral Decoux) has emphatically 
denied that Indo-China was falling in any
way to fulfil the terms of the agreement with
Japan. He added that Indo-China would do
nothing to disturb the situation in the Pacific.
 

ment accords with the true interests of the
HITLERS HAND
French people, which are identical with those of
SEEN
the British peoples.
Iis evident that Hitler is continuing to put all
possible pressure on Japan with a view to in-
A Book to Read
ducing her to embarrass Britain and the United
States either by attacking Russia or by moving
Lefs Face the Facts: Broadcasts by various
southwards. Either course of action by Japan
would obviously be to Hitlers advantage, for
Speakers. (John Lane), London, 1941.
either would serve to distract the attention of
This series of addresses sponsored by the
Britain and the United States from the war in
Director of Public Information of Canada and
Europe. Whether Japan proposes to oblige Hitler
broadcast by the Canadian Broadcasting Corpora-
by one of these means remains to be seen. It
tion, was given in the latter half of 1940; in all
remains fairly certain that even the more extreme
there were twenty four speakers, American,
Japanese expansionists are not anxious to attack
Canadian and British. The majority of the con¬
Russia at this stage.
tributors were private American citzens of some
distinction, who voluntarily chose to voice their
personalindictmentof Hitler and the Nazi regime.
SYRIAN ARNHISTICE
The series, was opened triumphantly, by
GENEROUS
Dorothy Thompson; other speakers were Robert
HE terms of the armistice in Syria were in no
E. Sherwood, the eminent playwright; the Rt.
way vindictive. It was made clear to the Vichy
Honourable W. L. Mackenzie King, Prime Min-
Government from the outset of the campaign that
ister of Canada; James Hiton (creator of Mr.
the Allies had no other object in view than to
Chips); Lawrence Hunt, a distinguished member
prevent Syria being used as an enemy base. Once
of the New York Bar; Hendrik Willem Van Loon,
the noted author; the series concluding with
this object was attained, neither the British nor
the Free French leaders had the least desire to
Alexander Woollcott, well known radio com-
be anything but generous towards men who had
mentator.
fought gallantly in a hopeless cause. As was to
This volume is, as the publisher indicates,
be expected, every precaution was taken to safe¬
necessarlly a selection; four of the speeches have
guard the vital strategic interests of the Allies.
been omitted, others have been shortened. Butthe
The Vichy troops were granted full honours of
fnalresultis a work which willrank high amongst
war; offcers and men were permitted to return
the permanent records of the "worlds greatest
their individual arms; every single member of the
struggle for the preservation of democracy and
Vichy Forces will have the chouce of joining the
freedom.
Free French Forces or of being repatriated.
Al royalties from the sale of this book are
The resistance of the Vichy forces to the Allies
being donated to the Lord Mayor of London's Air
was, of course, entirely due to the pressure Hitler
Raid Distress Fund.
was able to bring to bear on the Vichy Govern-
ment. He, no doubt, hoped that as a result of this
resistance France and Britain would become in-
Neusreels to Sce
volved in war with one another. Fortunately for
both France and Britain, the confict remained
DRIVE ON BEIRUT The Oficial Photographic Unit
localised.
with the A.LF. in Syria has secured some excellent pic
tures of the Syrian coastal campaign embracing the drive
The consistent view of the British and Aus-
by Australian and British troops from Haifa in Palestine
tralian peoples has been that whatever differences
towards Beirut. It was in this drive that the strongest
may have arisen between the Vichy and the
Vichy opposition was encountered. This picture follows
British Governments, neither the Britsh nor the
the troops from Palestine and gives a vivid impression of
the rugged country across which they had to operate.
Australian people has any quarrel with the
It shows the fall of Tyre, and Sidon.
French people. On the contrary, as the British
WORLD EVENTS- United States army troops board-
Minister for Information (Mr. Duff Cooper) said
ing a transport presumably bound for Iceland; British
Britain looks forward to the time when
recently
cruiser tanks in exercises; Winston Churchill visits
she may be the friend not only of the French
Bomber Station and confers with Sir Charles Portal; a
humorously treated short on the need for air raid pre¬
people, but of the French Government That time
cautions; the King watches paratroops at work.
will come when the policy of the French Govern-
Ramsay Ware Publishing Pty. Ltd, 117-129 King Street, Melbourne.
 

5.
24.00 hrs. Battalion advanced towards their objective - D Coy on
the Left, A. C. and B. in that order, D Coy's Left Flank remaining
fast, its Right conforming to the movements of the A Coy, stiff resistance 
was encountered and the Germans shelled us heavily with
5.9s. Germans were killed but no prisoners taken.
September 30th
04.00 hrs.
The Battalion now established East of Nauroy on the
Railway and thence in a general line South and connection established
with the 31st Btn. At 23.00 hrs. on the night of the 29th/30th the
Battalion was issued with an excellent meal of hot rissoles, potatoes
and coffee. This reflected the greatest credit on the Q.M. who had
got this meal forward under extremely difficult conditionss as the
enemy kept up heavy shell fire on Bellicourt and our line of advance.
An amusing incident occurred before midnight when a large body of
Americans advanced through Bellicourt and occupied a trench between
that village and Nauroy and faced their rear.
September 30th
14.40 hrs.
The Brigade Major asked me on the telephone if we 
would bo able to advance and capture the Signal Station at G.6.D. and
on general line to the Sugar Factory in H.7.C. I pointed out, owing
to the size of the Battalion, it would be a very difficult task but
I would attempt it, and it was arranged that the attack should be
at 16.00 hrs.
16.00 hrs. Our artillery support opened and placed a barrage 50
yards in rear of the battalion. Battalion went over the top and immediately 
came under very intense M.G. fire from Cabaret Wood Farm, the
Sugar Factory and the German line. Also very heavy fire from German
77s. The enemy also/ heavily shelled Nauroy with his heavy artillery.
 

6.

Companies, especially A, now suffering very heavy casualties. A Coy
at this stage had only 29 men left and as there was no sign of the
31st Btn. moving up on the Right and to save further casualties from
the obvious counter attack I ordered the battalion to retire on to
the jumping off line.
16.45 hrs. Companies now on original line East of Nauroy, the
enemy shelling them heavily but did not counter attack. The
night passed quietly with the exception of intermittent shelling by
the enemy heavies.
October 1st
05.00 hrs. Battalion withdrawn to the Nauroy-LeCatalet line preparatory 
to the attack by the 14th Bde. A.I.F. at 06.00 hrs. 06.00
hrs 55th and 56th Btns. passed through the battalion.
20.00 hrs. Battalion marched back through Bellicourt and then forward 
of Hargicourt to Malakoff Farm, where we were in support of a
British Regiment.
October 2nd. Battalion moved through Hargicourt to the rear and back
[*Roiselle*]to the Moiselle arca. Enemy shelled battalion just before we moved
off and we suffered several more casualties.
 

"Chatsworth"

Macleay St. Park Point
Sydney 28/7/1920
C.E.W.Bean Esq.
Official Historian AIF.

Dear Sir,
I was greatly interested in the lecture you
gave "The final campaign of he Australians in France," and 
please allow me to any my congratulations for the able
manner in which you dealt with such a big subject
the personal touch you gave mainly attributed to the
great screens - the touch of the man who had been there.
Time of course would not permit you to deal
at any length with the actual last fight of each
Brigade or Bn. In France. I am enclosing an
[[?]] of the last fight of the 8th Bde (32 Bn in conjunction
with 1 Coy of 30 Bn) at MILL RIDGE and JONCOURT
The [[?]]gives some details of the exciting forced
march of the 30th Bn Co. which lasted some 4 hours,
& on arrival they were put in the front line as
assaulting troops, after 20 minutes break only.
No notice of information had been received of
the intended attack until their arrival.
Perhaps this stands as some sone of record 
in A.I.F. Annals. The diggers did

 

all that was asked of them on that occasion.
Sgt. Eccles who had charge of a platoon at that 
time doing so well that I recommended his for a 
O.C.M. (which he obtained) and upon withdrawing
from the line promoted him Coy Sgt Major xx in
place of the Coy. S.M. who had been wounded.
Two other Military Medallists were also rewarded
to my men. The M.S.S. of the a/c which
is enclosed for your perusal, formed part of 
the 30 Bn. Essay competition held after the
Armistice, & may be of interest to you. 
You may recollect after the 30Bn took
BAPAUME 17/March 1917 I had the pleasure of
meeting you on the Main Road on the outskirts of
the town. You were interest in one of my
Lewis Gunners having a pot at some fleeting
Huns - perhaps this may have escaped 
your memory
Yours sincerely
T. C. Barbour Capt.
30Bn AIF.
PS I also enclose a copy of [["La Libri Bd?]]
no. 44 of Sept 1915 the patriotic Belgian sheet 
published at intervals "regularly irregular"
during the war. This is the paper Von Bissing
then Gov.  of Brusselles, tried hard to supress.
Copies of this sheet as you know were actually 
placed in this table. You will note the
satire "Telegraphique address "Kommandator"
Bruselles"
 

1
THE BREAKING OF THE HINDENBERG LINE-
THE FINAL ATTACK OF THE 5th DIVISION, A.I.F., IN FRANCE.
From Captain T.C.BARBOUR. 30th Battalion :-
Marshall FOCH in a cablegram dated London 14/12/1919
stated : "The 5th Australian Division at the end of September
1918 broke the famous Hindenberg Line. This was truly the
rampart of the enemy's resistance. Mastered it was, and the
Division proudly inscribes on its annals the names BELLECOURT,
NAUROY, ESTREES and JONCOURT."
------------
For days our artillery had been busy smashing and cutting
gaps in the formidable belts of wire in the fastness of the
Hindenberg Line.
The sector lay between the villages of BELLECOURT and
CATELIT (where the Canal disappears underground, forming the
famous BELLECOURT TUNNEL).
Two American Divisions (the 27th Division and the 30th
Division) and two Australian Divisions (the 3rd Division and the
5th Division) were ordered to attack the sector on 29th September
1918. The American Divisions, described as "experienced"
troops, were to capture the first objective including BELLECOURT
and NAUROY. The Australians were to sweep through them and carry
on to the second battle line, which included JONCOURT and
WAINCOURT on the 5th Division front.
Four divisions were to be thrown into the attack on the
bottle neck over the Canal - a 6000 yard front - the flanks of
which were quarded by the natural defences of the steep canal
banks and fortified with innumerable posts of machine guns
concealed with devilish ingenuity.
As extra aid to screen the movements of the assaulting troops,
these exposed flanks were to be deluged with a smoke barrage.
Fast travelling Whippet Tanks, also numbers of heavy Tanks, and
Aeroplanes were to assist in the attack.
At zero on the morning of 29th September, our artillery
broke loose along the whole front. Numbers of "silent" batteries
which had kept quiet up to that date, joining in the inferno.
The Australian troops, began to move up in artillery formation
to their allotted positions for attack. The 30th Battalion left
HERVILLY at 8 a.m., soon passing through the batteries, the guns
standing wheel to wheel. In front again were guns and more
guns - long lines of them. The gunners, stripped to the waist
and blackened with smoke and sweat, were dealing out their
"iron rations" on a generous scale greatly appreciated by
the advancing troops, who could not resist cheering them on
with the good work, although their voices were hopelessly
lost in the accompanying din.
On marching further into the battle zone the enemy barrage
was encountered west of the village of VILLARET. The platoons
which had broken out into small sections began to suffer
casualties. One shell dropping on a Lewis Gun team,wiped them
out. The gun, uninjured, was picked up by a rifleman who
quietly moved on with his section.
Nearing the southern end of BELLECOURT the roar of battle
grew intense. We entered our smoke barrage. Huge dense clouds,
which hung low in the still atmosphere, rendereding movement
difficult. The smoke resembled the fall of a thick fog,
becoming so thick that the advancing troops lost sight of each other
and groped about blindly in the gloom. To add to the confusion
enemy machine guns began to splutter out from nowhere, apparently
fired aimlessly into the fog. Officers soon gripped the
 

situation and gave directions by compass bearings.
No news had been received up to this stage of the progress
of battle. A few walking wounded Americans who were encountered
could give no concise information as to their doings. They in
their turn asked for information as to the whereabouts of their
"Headquarters'
The smoke barrage on the right flank of attack at last lifted
somewhat, and a first glimpse of the battle area showed something
had gone wrong. The Americans had not obtained their objective.
The village of NAUROY to our immediate front some 700 yards away
had not yet fallen. Nests of machine guns which lined the fringe
of the village were still spluttering out and sweeping the front
with a hail of bullets; holding up the advance.
At 11.0 a.m. the 30th Battalion had taken up a position in
support South of BELLECOURT. The 29th Battalion and the 31st
Battalion were in the front line intermingled with the Americans.
The 32nd Battalion who at this point should have been ahead of the
3Oth Battalion - suddenly emerged through the gloom. They had
been held up by large bodies of the enemy who had been overlooked
by the assaulting troops, and concealed themselves with machine
guns in the Tunnel. These had to be mopped up before the advance
The 32nd Battalion then swept round and could continue.
disappeared, advancing towards ETRICOURT, led by their able commander,
who within a few short hours gained renown and a V.C. in that
locality.
When the smoke finally lifted and exposed the front, it soon
became apparent a sanguinary engagement had already been fought in
the early forenoon. The American troops, although they had fallen
short of their objective, had put up a wonderful fight in breaking
portion of the Hindenburg line.
They had paid the price of battle. Hundreds of bodies were
lying huddled together in congested areas in the attitude of
sleep - these congested areas centred round posts of enemy
machine guns. The Boche had grouped his guns in concealed
positions, with selected fields of fire. The American troops
no doubt lacking experience, and without waiting to outflank the
guns, or have them smashed, had charged them in the open
succeeding in many cases, but at frightful cost. The Germans had
worked their red hot guns to the finish, spraying out death with
blistered hands and fingers. Over 3,000 American bodies were
buried on the battlefield. 
The enemy had orders not to retire, but hang on, and he
died by his guns. 
In one small sector, 8 double posts were counted where machine gun
crews had been shot or bayonetted in their gun emplacements.
The desperate nature of the fighting was also in evidence by
the gruesome spectacle of an American and German soldier huddled
on the ground, each impaled on the other's bayonet; recalling
to mind the incident at HIGH WOOD in the Somme Winter of 1916,
where a Scotchman and German lay for several weeks in the mud
each impaled by the other's deadly thrust.
Unusual scenes were also witnessed of Minnenwerfer/battery crews
being bayonetted and killed at their posts. The "Minnie Kings
are generally the first to clear out during an advance, and are
hard to find at close quarters. In this case they had fired off
their mortars, and then waited for the oncoming infantry and
fought with rifle and bayonet to the finish.
The slaughter witnessed on this battlefield was reminiscent
of the severe toll paid by the 5th Australian Division in their
first engagement in France - FROMELLES, July 19th, 1916, where some
5,000 0r 6,000 men - the flower of Australia, were casualties
in a few hours - hours of agony for those who saw the annihilation
of Australia's Manhood that bright summer's day. It will be
impossible for the survivors, who were less in comparison with
the dead, to forget that scene. It was vividly brought to mind
by those who also witnessed the slaughter of the Americans
at BELLECOURT. Surely BELLECOURT was another FROMELLES, and
will be a perpetual monument to the Americans who perished so
 

gamely on 29th September, 1918.
During the afternoon the battlefront became more defined, but
many wide gaps had still to be connected up. Several fast moving
whippet tanks were despatched to the 5th Division front and pluckily
assisted to straighten the line in front of NAUROY and engaged the
nests of machine guns on the edge of the village.
An enemy anti-tank gun visible in the open, firing with deadly
accuracy, knocked out some half dozen of the whippets before much
headway could be made. The unfortunate crews, in some cases
perished in the flames of their own petrol.
Most of the slow-going, heavy tanks were out of action or so
disabled as to be of little use. Those that ventured into the open
afforded easy targets, and unfortunately drew heavy fire on to the
troops as they crawled over the trenches and lurched through the lines.
They however had done their work in the early stages of the fight,
obliterating strong posts and paving broad tracks for the infantry
through the wire entanglements.
Very little information arrived during the day as to the doings
of other units. The 15th Brigade were fighting hard in the front
line on the left of the 8th Brigade.
The experiences of the 3rd Division who were on the Northern flank
were similar to those of the 5th Division. The situation was very
obscure on their arrival and it was only after heavy sacrifices
that anything like a continuous line could be established. Until
this was accomplished on the whole front, no further immediate advance
would be made.
On account of the heavy casualties suffered by the American
Divisions, it was apparent they would be withdrawn from the line to
reorganise.
During the afternoon and most of the night the German artillery
played incessantly on the captured positions. The town of BELLECOURT
also received the attention of a lot of the heavies. The trenches
were drenched with a liberal supply of gas shells, necessitating
constant use of the gas mask. High explosive and shrapnel also
arrived methodically in the gassed areas, to add to the horrors of the
situation.
Owing to the importance of the footing already gained in the
sector an enemy counter-attack was to be expected during the night
or early dawn. This did not eventuate. The Germans would certainly
have received a warm reception. Besides our own guns several of their
captured machine guns had been mounted in position before dark, ready
for emergency.
On the 30th September further adjustments of the line took place,
preparatory to the advance. Notice was also received that the
remnants of the American units in the line would be withdrawn that
night.
On the elevated position at the Southern entrance to the Tunnel
a splendid panoramic view could be obtained of the Battle Zone, also
the extensive defensive positions erected by the Boche during the
4 years he had to labour on the Scheme.
Countless belts of barbed wire had been erected, interlaced on
iron and wood standards.. These belts loomed out prominently in all
directions. The wire was exceptionally heavy, with cruel looking
spikes of great length, designed to clutch one's uniform and embrace
you firmer the more you struggled.
Numbers of dark, shadowy human forms were visible laying limp
on the wire, held tight in the grip of those murderous talons.
In many cases the belts were 50 yards to 60 yards wide, in double
layers. Their black snaky outlines could be traced among the stunted
growth of grass, twisting about in irregular formation as far as the
eye could reach.
Numerous concealed pitfalls had been dug in between the belts
with trip-wires, and fearful looking spikes fixed in the bottom.
Belt after belt of wire also ran parallel to the line of the Canal
bank, the waters of which made a formidable barrier, being wide enough
to admit of the passage of huge river barges up and down stream.