, 4,000 tons; Frankfurt,
5,400 tons; Koeln, tonnage uncertain; Dresden, tonnage uncertain, and
Emden, 5,400 tons.

CHAPTER LI

APPROACHING THE FINAL STAGE

The might and pride of Germany were smashed and humbled by Foch in
frontal attacks divided roughly into three great sectors. The first of
these attacks was delivered by the French and Americans in the southern
sector which included Verdun and the Argonne. The second smash was
delivered by British, French and Americans in the Cambrai sector. The
third was delivered by British, Belgians, French and Americans in the
Belgian sector on the north of the great battle line.

The Cambrai operation had as its first objectives the possession of the
strategic railways both of which ran from Valenciennes, one to the huge
distribution center at Douai; the other to Cambrai itself. To reach
these objectives the Allies were obliged to cross the Sensee and the
Escaut canals under infantry and artillery fire. Besides these natural
obstacles, there was the famous Hunding line of fortifications erected
by the Germans between the Scarpe and the Oise River.

The attack was opened in force on September 18, 1918, by the Fourth
British army under General Rawlinson and the First French army under
General Debeney. The assault was successful northwest of St. Quentin and
determined German counter-attacks were broken down by French and British
artillery fire.

The Third British army under General Byng and the Thirtieth American
division co-operating with the First British army under Sir Henry
Horne, attacked furiously over a fourteen-mile front toward Cambrai. The
net result of this operation was the possession of the Canal du Nord,
the taking of several villages, and 6,000 prisoners. This was on
September 27th. The following day the same forces captured
Fontaine-Notre Dame, Marcoing, Noyelles, and Cantaing. More than 200
guns were captured and 10,000 prisoners. On September 29th the Americans
took Bellecourt and Nauroy, and invested the suburbs of Cambrai. The
British crossed the Escaut canal and the Canadians penetrated some of
the environs of Cambrai.

The resolution and ferocity of the attack thoroughly dismayed the
Germans, and the salient produced by the smash forced the Teutons to
evacuate the greatly prized Lens coal fields on October 3d. Horne and
Byng continued their advance, the former occupying Biache-St. Vaast
southwest of Douai, and the latter reaching a position five mi