GALLANT COLONIALS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3560, 21 September 1916, Page 5

GALLANT COLONIALS.

TRIBUTE FROM MR PHILIP GIBBS

NEW ZEALA^pERS' GREAT •■■. ■;■■.; CHARGE:'! ■'

SPLENDID DASH OF LONDON

(Received Scptembei i<'2|i 12.30 p.m.)

LONDOi\ T, September 20.

Mr Philip Gibbs states .that the Canadians won great glory on Friday and .Saturday. They came from the Ypres Salient to the Somme, determined to get th,eir own back. The attack was finely organised, and when the facts become known it will be regarded as a great mih'taKy. achievement. '.

The French-Canadian..unit was particularly brilliant. It captured a German stronghold and took hundreds-of prisoners. The New Zealanders, cleancut, handsome fellows, have followed tlie great example set by the Australians in the fight around Pozieres.

The New Zealiwidors made a gallant charge at dawn on Friday, which will be long -remembered. They crossed "No Majri's Land," wont over the German trenches, and out into the blue in pursuit of the retreating enemy. ■" It is such foul weather that we seem to be back to winter, mud, rain, and mist making it impassible for the aeroplanes to see the gunners or spot the German infantry and signal their whoroa.bouts.

" But it is a great sight to watch the troops marching, with their glistening waterproofs and steel helmets, into the firing-line,, utterly refusing to, surrender their good spirits.

"I have been Bpending* four days among tho men who broke, the Flers line, and have made a most striking discovery: tne great deed was done by the newest troops. Somo Derby recruits were engaged. The older hands wondered how they 'stick' it, but the newcomers leapt into the German trendies with the spirit of the oldest fighters. ■•-.■■ " The Londoners did gloriously, ha,ving one of the hardest points of attack. I Young civil servants and city .clerks fought sternly, -and endured all with stoicism."