In paragraph 35 of the despatch “The Battle of Cambrai and the Hindenburg line, 27th September-5th October,” Sir Douglas Haig remarked: “The attack proceeded according to plan from the commencement. On the right strong resistance was encountered at Beaucamp. Several strong counter-attacks were made during the day in this neighbourhood, but in spite of them troops of the 5th and 42nd Divisions successfully established the right flank of our attack between Beaucamp and Ribecourt.” The fighting 27th September-1st October is now officially designated the “Battle of the Canal du Nord,” and that on 8th-9th October is the “Battle of Cambrai, 1918.” During the latter period the Division was resting about Havrincourt Wood but re-entered the line on the 12th. On 20th October at 2 a.m. the Third Army and a portion of the First Army made an attack on the line of the Selle river, north of Le Cateau. On this occasion the Division carried all its four objectives. The despatch, paragraph 46, deals with the “Battle of the Selle,” and states: “On this occasion also the enemy’s resistance was serious, and he had been able to erect wire entanglements along the greater part of the line. Our advance was strongly contested at every point, frequent counter-attacks being made. Supported by a number of Tanks which had successfully crossed the river, our infantry after severe fighting ... gained their objectives on the high ground east of the Selle, pushing out patrols as far as the river Harpies.” Paragraph 47 described another assault made on the 23rd October, in which the 42nd is included among the attacking troops. “At the end of the day the western outskirts of the Forêt de Mormal had been reached.” Both on the 20th and the 23rd there was much bitter and often hand-to-hand fighting. The 42nd had as its opponents a crack German division, fresh from reserve, the 25th and part of another, and success was only attained by a fine exhibition of skilful tactics and great fearlessness on the part of the troops. The Divisional R.E. did particularly well at the crossing of the Selle. The map opposite page 294 of Messrs. Dent’s edition of _Sir Douglas Haig’s Despatches_ shows that the 42nd Division was among the troops employed at the Battle of the Sambre, commencing 4th November. The Division took over from the New Zealand Division in the Forêt de Mormal and, becoming the spear-head of the IV. Corps, kept up the pressure. This was a task of very great difficulty as the roads through the Forest had been mined and otherwise destroyed, and off the roads, owing to continued rain, the ground was a morass. In the words of a Special Order by the G.O.C. Division they “forced the passage of the bridgeless River Sambre in face of severe enemy fire and captured Hautmont.” On Armistice day the Division was just east of the Maubeuge-Avesnes road.