FINEST TROOPS IN THE WEST

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2769, 12 May 1916, Page 5

FINEST TROOPS IN THE WEST

DISPATCH FROM NEW ZEALAND

CORRESPONDENT

The following special message has boon i received from the New Zealand official war correspondent (Mr. Malcolm Boss):— "Anzac JJay (April 25) passed quietly in France. The General Commanding the Army inspected the various Australian, and New Zealand units, and in a manly speech, greatly appreciated by'the tioops, stated that General Birdwood's name ■ would forever lie' associated with the glories of Anzac, and ho felt s>ire that the glories of the past would be repeated in their new sphere. In concluding, ho dwelt upon the necessity for discipline)) slating that the .-best-disciplined, troops had always proved to be most successful. "Beautiful weather has now followed upon a long spell of cold and wet, and the Australians and New Zealanders in the trenches and in tho .reserve are fit and in good health. The line at present -"is quiet, except for some shelling in rear of the _ trenched. There is little rifle. fir«, ihe sniping on both sides "being so good ;hat beads are kept down. In one place the German front line is less than a hundred yards away. The trenches, ivhich were rat-infested and wet, are boing gradually improved.. The colonials are wearing steel helmets, which are re- . placing the big felt hats, and give them an unwonted appearance. At times heavy cannonading can be heard in the distance. "The men are. able daily to. witness air duels in'which they are greatly, interest-I £d. The daring. exploits of one British „<\irman, who scorns danger and returns ti> his observation time after time, with dozens of shrapnel shells 'bursting close ab out him, has earned their unstinted admiration.' One of. the first sights we saw tan' arrival in France was a German Fok(tetf coming down behind the lines, and 'die pilot being ■ marched off between two '. Tommies willi fixed bayonets. A tew days 1 jtter our guns hit a German planed which f Ml from a great height, both pilot and n foserver being - killed." H SGHLAND OFFICER'S TRIBUTE By Press Association—Copyright \ • London, May 10. ■ T) 1) i officer of a Highland- regiment statis>:. "The consensus of-opinion "is that the i Australasians are the finest troops ever seep oui the West front. They are the l.ij >st clotjcd and equipped men to be fouriot anywhere. They are big, strapping fellon*', .with no surplus fat. They will play (3 ic dickens with the Huns. The men are w- i -1 disciplined, though the discipline is not quite on the same lines os- ours f ; it is in ore elastic, batter suiting the. AnEiic.sp jjirit cf-freedom." •

A TYPHUL STOIIY FROM THE "ANZAC" j TRENCHES : STOUNG | AUSTEALIiNS' IMPRESSIONS May 10. A you Australian,. who has arrived In LondcM, tells a'typical tale., .He'spent a period iin -a front-line salient, a .good part of is now held by the Australians,. »ith the New "Zealan'ders to the south aiu t the Canadians to the north. His unit a Scottish regiment, who' told t hem that' "Fritz was not so bad. If iM ft alone ho docs not worrv you." On tj- .bombing and shelling had ' occurred to>) date. , There had. been a gas attack to t'ij j north/'and he heard that, only one oif; two had been gassed. •' He said the Hiriis were a different class of adversary fi'om the Turks. Tho'artillery ; jvas far wor «•, but tho .sniping was jmicli less. The life e.was reputed to bo fairly quiet, but hiiavy shelling was comment 'mg. Part. c£ the;front .' has Eand-biy: trenches./. Be s ause the, water, .had .ceasedto lie on the A'urface. Flanders was more comfortable t' ti an, Gallipoli. He was much strfack by theiVcontinuous 'singling- of Germans' at nighl J. time; ..."They are q, cheery . Jot," he said/,; "and" I/think' they have ■il-plentiful Bui piily. of liquor." ' Another Aits fcralian, who was not talkative. when asl-rf d if /Flanders was better than ■Gallipoli;-? replied: "Better .* Why you get beer!" 1 ''

REVIEW.ErS BY THE FRENICH GENERALISSIMO. ("Times": and {Sydney "Sun" Services.) ■n, , London, May 10. Photographs ill oinu» endless lines of Australasians m< behind,past General .foffre wring an mspect/'.on have arrived in Xonaon. •

Orders had .be a.l given to the AusitraJasians- in Francet 1 not to write home for nvo weeks, hence*. the, lonjj delay of '-exseeted letters. •

TRIBUTES P] 59M THE PEE\CH muss. ."

•.mi:' ■ '.V ' • Paris,. May 10. t • 1 .newspapers ibmmenting on the ar-t thc . :V lzac! '- P a r warm tributes to! the bmsiy they have displayed hitherto, titfc'f r ,S'i.\ra"There is no finer title to .glorv )n .this ,war„than theirs fn"v-Mn"l !^i Poli ';i Their sacrifices were His orV wnn'pi ley ¥ lne 'V ~n(! y in* fanle " » \ "gain tho story ii» - of these improvised soldiers. from the Antipodes, whHt t," " :'l' est U the l!6 y °f 'he Darnaneiiea. ihese bra*W9 men of Anmr nw find in lr WtJej,. and will them. brothers-i i t-arms worthy of

"ONE OF THE JOhyiS OF THE WAR "

ANZACS AXD Till !, PRESS CENSOR: . v SELGP, •• •"

io i K e A us tral ii -ins in Prance was of tL OCCa ,i!? n of °° e of .tho best jokes } ii 0 a "tiX'l'ities allowed the fact to be cabled that the Germans op™ ° which thev"™' n en , eh 'S',i we !=°med th™, H ov In 1 W:-could ha. s;:Uy have, done if f, h win r,:e ther we, e Yet oi'r men " o,' fchoy will*'™* w" T llerc knows !" Ur mC " the

<o the north At'tl nl" C ' ll i la(lla,,!i wiles Srath 6fYSk]'T. '* abont two THE MOUNJED-'. MEN ( HOSPITAL, AIiRAN t iEMENTS. - additini^™ 1 ? ilillis{el ' i uniished tome thu u-hi . lust niglit as to the ]i\,)«if/^ U p tlie 1 ho-unted men in Ujip ■,J ? ai'y oai- active service ntTi ? f V lO '^S 0 bunted ?e la,, "Yiif- 6 lo .7 a!K T 4 with the Neiv tit L 115l 15 , 1011 .'. lho ntU<! ls ha ™ joined uoutfi U Uralr ral - I,lu to.form. SerVing * us ho i" Ito i g \ lvc information mei t- -mp • about hcis pilX arrange■T V^ wrn,l i ß whioh ,!|IC w,ble ue «'S Somevhst di«oMjicted and inAll'mi" "tW ™ »s," said Mr. to V i, sick . ttnfl "iounded likely to be "Sifr ag - i J m I '4 lß fl ' out w «b th'>t fW«o, pltnls in ■■ El 'glai"l, and M 2* " °. weve not li 3 rely to bo fit 00'- ' P ,K- t l lc \ asain - an id . who were , lK? ™b e ha db v tUo th p n* Phis sent! to hospital* for ill n,-,l .r « 1S 1 ' arra »eeir» ™t we asked Npiv /'nhiilil 'f lne " 'n'S'i t return to • 1 <i' -y our transj orts. This IVfn P'ovisionnl arrangj )ment, but tliin 0 s ate all very largely ia- the melting, r change." 9 p6sßibl ?><l ici 'e HOMEWARD BOUND fMEN AT CAPETOWN <y Telegraph—Press Associatic m '—Copyright (Roc. May 11, 9.15 rttn.) Cape llav 10. Mr. Buxton, the Jlayor,;- welcomed ■jnety-seven invalided • New n Zealanders •ho are returning home, f I