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ACTION NEAR BONY - 29th September-2nd October, 1918.
THIRD AUSTRALIAN DIVISION
1. Whilst resting in the DOINGT Area as Corps Reserve from 11th to 27th September, the Third Australian Division received orders on the 23rd September to co-operate with the 27th American Division on the left flank of the Corps attack on the HINDENBURG and BEAUREVOIR Lines - (Corps Instructions E.2 and Divisional Order No.111).
2. On the night 27th/28th September, troops of the Division concentrated as under :-
9th Brigade Group . . To the North of VILLERS FAUCON.
10th Brigade Group . . West of RONSSOY.
11th Brigade Group . . West of TEMPLEUX-les-Guerard.
Divisional Headquarters were established near TEMPLEUX-les-Guerard (F.26.c.8.6).
The march to the Forward Assembly areas and the presence of the troops therein throughout the day and night of 28th. September were apparently unnoticed by the enemy as, though this forward area was densely packed with AMERICAN and AUSTRALIAN troops, no excessive shelling took place during that period
3. The operations as proposed involved the capture by the 27th American Division of the BROWN Line prior to Zero, as this was to be the Start Line for their infantry. Though partially successful in an attempt made on the 27th. the Americans were still over 1000 yards short of the BROWN Line at Zero. The American objective was the capture of the GREEN Line by two regiments, and their success was to be exploited by the Third Australian Division, so as to gain and consolidate the RED Line at BEAUREVOIR and PROSPECT HILL.
The command of the attack sector was to pass from the American to the Australian Division on the latter crossing the GREEN Line. It was calculated that the leading Australian lines should cross the BROWN Line at 9.0 a.m. on the 29th. Confidential verbal instructions were issued from Third Australian Divisional Headquarters to the 9th and 10th Brigades to provide against enemy action against the left flank, but no such precaution was considered necessary with regard to the capture of either BROWN or GREEN Line.
4. The attack of the 27th American Division, with the 30th. American Division (the latter supported by the Fifth Australian Division) on their right, commenced at 6.20 a.m. covered by a very substantial barrage, but no reliable news as to progress was received till late in the day The Third Division moved off as ordered, with the 11th Brigade on the right, 10th Brigade on the left and 9th Brigade in reserve, but came under heavy machine gun fire from the vicinity of the BROWN Line and the ground over which the 27th Division had advanced. Enemy artillery fire from the East and North also intensified as the light became clearer, causing material casualties.
American wounded and stragglers gave the news that their casualties had been very heavy, especially in officers, but claimed that the objective had been gained. So much was certain that Boche posts were well established behind the most advanced American elements and that further fighting
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