"Before the main attack could be made it was essential that we held Hendecourt and Riencourt. That was effected yesterday evening by Lancashire troops. Bullecourt had already been prized loose from the Hindenburg Line by Londoners after several sanguinary efforts and severe counter-attacks. Riencourt had withstood all blows by reason of its commanding position, a group of village walls on a slight crest encircled by trench protected by outlying redoubts. The Lancashires facing it knew its worth. Hendecourt, besides Riencourt, was hardly less difficult a nut to crack. They had been fighting without rest in their conquered portion of the maze. Two days running they delivered attacks at noon, followed by one at four o'clock the next morning. The same night--the night of Sunday--they went out to storm these citadels of the Hun that the victory of to-day might be complete. They found both village ruins full of Germans and machine guns. It was the usual mixed experience, surrender in the open and resistance in the cellars. Some of the Germans ran away, others rallied under their officers. [Illustration: MŒUVRES, INCHY, AND CANAL DU NORD Oblique Aeroplane Photograph.] "Riencourt and Hendecourt contained many German bodies when they were left quiet, deserted by the forward surge of the battle front, the survivors of grim hand-to-hand encounters with the Lancashire men and their bayonets. All night long the 'mopping up' continued. Hardly had the secret places been declared clear when the Lancashires had to attack again and take up their share of the greater advance at dawn. The Canadians and their brother Britishers on their left know the debt they owe these stout lads of the North, whose unflagging efforts enabled them to attack with easy minds, knowing their flank would be secure. "Riencourt captured, the striking troops were within easy reach of the Drocourt Line. At Riencourt itself the distance was not over half a mile. Higher up the Canadians on both sides of the Cambrai road were closer at some places. Their front was nearly straight. Before them were unobstructed fields, little scarred by shell, with dull red banks of tangled wire stretched taut in front of the white band of trenches, the ground behind rising gently with the tips of broken roofs and the Church towers of the villages laid against the rain-swept sky of grey. * * * * * "It is now necessary to return to the Lancashire men who were on the Canadian right. They had to attack and pass through the triangle I have described, east of Riencourt. Some of them followed behind the Canadians, then slipped south-east into the trenches and mopped them up. By last accounts they were working satisfactorily down the line of the triangle, and clearing out nests of machine guns. The drive through to Buissy was a phase of the attack following this operation of the Lancashire men.