WITH THE ANZACS IN FRANCE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2853, 18 August 1916, Page 5

WITH THE ANZACS IN FRANCE

NEW ZEALANDERS WELL CARED FOR SHOWS AND SPORTS (Special from tho New Zealand Official War Correspondent.) August 16. Probably thero is no army better supplied than tho British, and no divisiou therein is better cared for than the New Zealand. Wo havo eleven canteens, three of which aro in tho subsidiary trenches, as well as a cinema and other entertainments going daily, at times, actually under German shelltire. Recently a sholl hit ono canteen. Fortunately the men had just loft it, and thero were no casualties. Tho canteen was promptly reopened. To two of those canteens goods can only bo convoyed under cover of darkness. Recently we held a successful horse show, which would havo been creditable evoix in poaco time, the men taking groat interest and pains to turn out their teams to tho best advantage. Yesterday wo held aquatic sports, almost under tho noses of the Germans. There were over a thousand onirics, so a special order had to be issued to units to greatly redueo tho number. Exciting contests ensued, and tho ringing checrs with which_ Auckland's narrow victory ovor Wellington in tho relay raco was greeted might almost havo been heard in the enemy front line. Two well-known Anzac Generals attended, and tho Otago Band played during tho afternoon. By way of rounding olf the day, wo bombarded and brilliantly raided tho German front line, killing soveral Germans and capturing prisoners and ma-chine-gun. Information from recentlycaptured prisoners entirely confirms the statements from the Somme regarding

the heavy enemy losses there. Opposite us are regiments all of which got a severe handling, and had to be relieved. In these regiments are many Hanoverians, leading'to tho conclusion tliat the enemy has had difficulty in keeping these Silesian regiments tip to strength. Prisoners assert that their losses are up to 50 per cent, and over. Other information indicates that the Gorman organisation has considerably deteriorated as the result of the recent pressure all round.