The next incident described by my correspondent occurred at the taking of the St. Quentin section of the Hindenburg line by the 4th British Army, two American divisions leading the way.

“The attack,” he writes, “had been a very difficult one, and had only been successful in certain sectors.  As usual, the attack had been launched at dawn, and the morning had been exceptionally misty.  Later on the mist began to roll away rather quickly, and it was found that in one sector where the attack had made no progress, the Germans were in a position”—­owing to the ridge they occupied having been till then shrouded in mist—­“to bring very heavy machine-gun fire to bear on the backs of the troops advancing in a sector where the attack had gone well.  Unless something were done at once to drive the Germans from the ridge they were holding, not only would many lives be lost, but the result of the attack which had gone well would be jeopardised.  Without waiting for orders and on their own initiative, two Tanks, which were standing by in order to attack with fresh troops later in the day, drove straight for the ridge.[11] Two Tanks, without either infantry or artillery support, went straight for an unbroken portion of the German line. They reached the ridge, and drove the Germans off it.  Both Tanks were hit by several shells, and caught fire.  The survivors of the crews, with a few infantry soldiers, organised the ridge for defence, turned the German machine guns round, and when the Germans counter-attacked, this small but determined garrison poured so hot a fire on them from their own guns that they were driven back, and the important post secured.”

  [11] The italics are mine.

There is nothing, I think, that need prevent me from pointing out, what there is no hint of in the letter itself—­that the writer of it was in one of the Tanks, and was severely wounded.

In the last actions of the war, even the semblance of a Tank was sometimes enough!  “Supply Tanks”—­writes my informant—­“were then being used, which looked like the real thing, but were only very slightly armoured.  They were intended to carry material, sometimes munitions, and even food.  Three of these pseudo-tanks were carrying up material to rebuild a bridge which had been destroyed.  They discovered, when they neared the place, that the enemy were holding it in some strength, and our infantry could not advance.  Moreover directly the Tanks appeared, they began to draw fire—­which they were not meant to face—­and the situation was threatening.  But, with great pluck and resource, the Tanks decided just to go on, and trust to their looks, which were like those of the fighting Tanks, to drive the enemy from the position....  One Tank became a casualty; but the other two went straight for the German lines; and the Germans, under the impression that they were being attacked by fighting Tanks, either put up their hands or fled.”