Fleets of motor tanks supplied drinking water, but horses had to travel long distances to watering points, and wait hours in long queues, four deep, and extending literally miles along the roads.
The early development of all sources of supply in any area captured was thus of great importance, and No. 2 section was told off to this task in the zone allotted to the 11th Field Company, with instructions to pay particular attention to the canal tunnel, where springs were reported to exist. No. 1 section was allotted to roads, No. 3 to clearing cross-country tracks for the artillery, and No. 4 was split up over the 11th Brigade and its battalions, to search dugouts and look after accommodation generally.
The attack developed at dawn on Sept. 29th, but was not immediately successful. Apparently the American assault troops broke through the German line under cover of the barrage, but neglected to “mop up.” The consequence was that large numbers of Germans, as soon as the barrage and the closely following attacking wave had passed, emerged from their numerous dugouts, and manned machine guns and anti-tank defences. The 3rd Division, moving forward in readiness, came under heavy artillery and machine gun fire before it reached the old outpost line, and was in effect faced with the task of attacking the complete Hindenburg defences without the help of artillery, which could not
be used on account of the uncertainty as to the position of the Americans. Under these circumstances, progress was naturally slow. Fortunately the attack had been more successful on the right divisional front, and the 44th Battalion on the extreme right of the 3rd Australian Division had succeeded in getting a footing in the Hindenburg line proper, and making a flank to the north. The sappers attached to the Battalion Headquarters became involved in various tasks somewhat different to those for which they had been allotted; an attempt to make the best use of a stray tank led to some exciting incidents, which only ended when the Boche, with a field gun at point blank range, put the tank out of action.
No. 3 section succeeded in clearing a short length of artillery track, but generally speaking, very little of the sapper programme was accomplished, and the sections spent the night in the trenches three-quarters of a mile south-east of Ronnsoy.
On the 30th the 3rd Division continued the attack, and on the 1st of October succeeded in taking Bony, a small village right in the main Hindenburg line and almost over the canal tunnel, chiefly by means of persistent bombing along the network of trenches. After this good progress was made. The sappers meanwhile had discovered an extensive old British minefield, part of which had been noticed by No. 3 section on the 29th, when several of our tanks were put out of action by it. Large numbers of mines were removed and de-detonated from the field, which, curiously enough, was marked by danger notices both in English and in German. On the 1st a party of No. 1 section made an investigation of the whole of the canal tunnel, working from the Southern or Bellicourt end. On the 2nd dugouts in the main Hindenburg line were searched and cleared; a number of notice boards erected, and an O.P. constructed East of Bony; while the investigation of the tunnel was continued, through a number of the various entrances made by the Germans along its length.
The tunnel, which is some four miles in length and 25 feet in diameter, was dug in the time of Napoleon, and was found to be in good order, and equipped with pumps (but without engines) and piping to deliver water to the surface at a number of air shafts. The water was tested, and found to be drinkable after treatment, with the usual small quantity of chloride of lime, but before the Company could do anything towards making it available, the 3rd Division was relieved on Oct. 3rd by the 50th British Division, and the Coy. evacuated the bivouac which it had occupied at Toine Wood, close to the trenches in which the sections sheltered on the night of the 29th. The Company Transport had moved east of Templeux-le-Guerard on the 30th.
Exploration of the famous Hindenburg system had been full of interest, not only because of the tunnel, with its German-made stairway entrances, its concrete entrance defences, and its long
line of barges used for the living accommodation by the Boche during his previous tenancy, but now damp and dilapidated; but also on account of the fame attaching to the trench system itself. To some extent this was disappointing; the trenches, although very wide, were not well made, and the dugouts were numerous, but not elaborate. The barbed wire, however, was astonishing in its extent and density.
The casualties in this, destined to be the last action in which the unit took part, were 11 wounded (including gas), of which one subsequently died. For good work on the morning of the 29th Sappers Chapman and Gallwey received the Military Medal.