Our gunners, with no thought of sleep, put
their shoulders to wheels and dragropes to bring their guns through the
mire in support of the infantry, now under the increasing fire of the
enemy's artillery. Our attack had taken the enemy by surprise, but,
quickly recovering himself, he began to fire counter-attacks in strong
force, supported by heavy bombardments, with large quantities of gas.
From September 28th until October 4th we maintained the offensive
against patches of woods defended by snipers and continuous lines of
machine guns, and pushed forward our guns and transport, seizing
strategical points in preparation for further attacks.
OTHER UNITS WITH ALLIES
Other divisions attached to the Allied armies were doing their part. It
was the fortune of our Second Corps, composed of the Twenty-seventh and
Thirtieth divisions, which had remained with the British, to have a
place of honor in co-operation with the Australian Corps, on September
29th and October 1st, in the assault on the Hindenburg line where the
St. Quentin Canal passes through a tunnel under a ridge. The Thirtieth
Division speedily broke through the main line of defense for all its
objectives, while the Twenty-seventh pushed on impetuously through the
main line until some of its elements reached Gouy. In the midst of the
maze of trenches and shell craters and under cross-fire from machine
guns the other elements fought desperately against odds.
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