Page:Breaking the Hindenburg Line.djvu/65

Rh them being bayoneted at their guns. Nothing could withstand the dash of the troops, however, inspired as they were by the splendid leading of their officers. In small parties and protected by the fog, they worked their way up to within a short distance of the enemy trenches, then, rising with a shout, dashed in with the bayonet, the enemy giving way in all directions and many of them making good their escape through the fog, in spite of considerable casualties inflicted by the artillery as they retired.

At the Blue line, a slight pause was made while the much disorganized companies sorted themselves out as far as possible—N.C.O.s collecting small parties of men, and officers rearranging these parties into platoons and companies, and explaining to the section leaders under them their next objective in the attack on the Red line, which was commenced immediately the barrage lifted and permitted forward movement to be resumed.

A slight adjustment had to be made first, however, and the first and third companies advanced behind the creeping barrage, while the second and fourth companies turned aside, changing direction to the right and entering Bellenglise.

The organized defences of this village had meanwhile been dealt with as a possible menace to the attack to right and left of them. Special groups of heavy artillery had been told off to pay particular attention to them and, during the initial stages of the assault, Bellenglise had been so well pounded that the machine gunners and Infantry holding the village had had little opportunity to assist in repulsing the general attack.

Now, in accordance with plan—a phrase common enough in German communiqués but significant in the present connection—the heavy guns switched on to the