Page:Breaking the Hindenburg Line.djvu/188

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160
THROUGH THE HINDENBURG LINE

swung past, exchanging a fusillade of chaff with their comrades who marched forward to carry on the good work they had so well begun. In their one night of leisure, all traces of conflict had disappeared, and the premier Division of the British Army marched to its well-earned rest as to a Ceremonial Parade. Well might the German prisoners straggling along, fifty or sixty in charge of one nonchalant guard, feel that Nemesis was at hand and the day of their triumph passed for ever.

At the end of October, the Headquarters of the 46th Division had been moved to Bohain and, after a few days' rest, the whole Division commenced to match to their positions immediately in rear of the 1st Division. Headquarters moved successively to Molain and l'Arbre de Guise, where the General Staff remained, closely connected by telephone with the Staff of the 1st Division in their advanced Headquarters at Bellevue Farm. Here after the battle, the G.O.C. 46th Division took over command of the sector, and orders were issued to the 138th Brigade to relieve the 1st Brigade and endeavour to locate the position of the retiring enemy.

Active patrol work was carried out on the night of the 4th/5th November and, in the early hours of the 5th, our Infantry had pushed forward as far as Zobeau and Grand Toaillon Farm. During the advance, little resistance was encountered, and four 77-millimetre and three 10.5-centimetre guns were captured.

On November 5th, the 139th Brigade from their new billets at Catillon, and the 137th Brigade from Bois de l'Abbaye and the district round La Louvière Farm, were instructed to pass through the 14th Infantry Brigade and the 138th Infantry Brigade and to take up the pursuit, keeping the enemy on the run so far as possible. Both Brigades met with little opposition and, by the evening