A NIGHT ATTACK

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2723, 18 March 1916, Page 6

A NIGHT ATTACK

BY ELEVENTH INFANTRY AND RESERVES

OUTPOST FIGHTING AT DAWN

. T ° soldiers who are undergoing training for the "real thing," there is a fascination m field operations which approach in-thrill and reality the excitement of battlo. The men endure with intelligent fortitude the tedium of "left right," the slow march, and all the other mechanical portions of their drill and training because they know that they are the groundwork of tlie business. And in the joy and excitement of a sham-fight or other field operations, the weeks of drudgery in drill are forgotten. The Eleventh Infantry Reinforcements, and the Infantry Reserve Companies, numbering in all nearly 2500 men, felt that way last Friday afternoon, when they left Featherston j to carry out night operations which were to culminate in an attack i -T"!' •^ le ar6a country over which these operations were to extend was a wide one, extending from the junotion of tho Greytown and Morrison s Bush Roads, at the Tauherenikau ■Kivor, to Morrison's Bush and Papawai. ' ■ Outpost Line Formed. 'After a fairly long march, in the cool. Of the evening, A B and 0 Companies established an outpost line on the high ground near Morrison's Bush, lhis was the position that was to be attacked, and the line was formed so as to be ready to repel an attack on ibo front, facing towards the distant iauherenikau Rivor, and a flank attack from the direction of Greytown; as it turned out, simultaneous attacks on DOtU sides had to be beaten off. Some distance behind ithis outpost position, .the Ist, and 3rd Reserve Companies went into bivouac on the fiat ne mT ' Morrison's house. The enemy was comoosed of D, E, n i 9? mpani . es ol tlie Eleventh! a Companiss formed an outpost line near the Papawai Rifle Range, while F, G, »tid H Companies termed an outpost line across the Fea-therston-Gre.vtown Road, near the Tauherenikau Rn-er. In addition to these troops, a detachment of Mounted Rifles iron) tho fflfttbetsfcon' Force, rode out and reconnoitred the outpost line at Morrison s Bush, some interesting work occurring during this operation. During the night F, G, and H Companies inarched on. the Morrison'B Butih position from tiie Tauherenikau River, a distance of about fivo miles, and deployed just before daylight, ready to attack in front. D and E Companies also marched during the' night, and deployed in readiness to attack the Morrison's Buah outpost'on the right flank./ Having, deployed, both forces waited the- signal to attack. The derenders were quite unaware of when the aittack was to be made, or from which direction tlie heaviest attack was .to come. Tho Attask. At five o'clock both forces attacked simultaneously, firing blank, the effect being quite startling to anyone not accustomed to the souuds or battle. In the brief-, intervals of firing by tho force near at hand, the' distant firing of the other party of a,ttacker s could be-heard, also that of the defenders. It seemed as though the whole plain was ringed 'with rifles. ' As a result of the combined onslaught the outpost at Morrison's Bush was pushed back gradually, fighting fiercely and keeping their line unbroken A message dispatched in. haste to the commander of the reserves brought the three companies to the support of the hard-pressed forces. On their arrival the outpost was able to make a . counter-attack, with considerate success, this phase of the operations proving most exciting. Tlie operations ceased at 6 o'clock, and the troops breakfasted in the field, afterwards returning to camp, well nlensed with their mimic warfare, which, it may .be said, was a' most instructing' experience for ,both- officers and men, there 'being nothing prearranged, except the fact that the outpost was to S e , a > a Sl ced 011 the. front and rigKt ilank. Tlie, ground over which the operations, took place , was kindlv lent for the purpose: by Mr.-H. Morrison, Mr W. Wigfrins, and other land-owners'. Jiarly.. this a daylight attack or a somewhat similar' nature was to be carried out by the Eleventh Infantry and Artillery at Mangwoa and Wallacevilio. ;