THE FIRST BRIGADE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3179, 1 September 1917, Page 6

THE FIRST BRIGADE

CONGRATULATED BY GENERAL GODLEY AFTER MESSINES BATTLE A report of a-speech • made by General Godley to the First Brigade of tho NewZealand Division was read in the House of Hepresentatives yesterday by the Min. ister of Defence (Sir James Allen). The address was delivered on J«n& 15, fitter the Messiues~ Battle." 'J'o the Mrst New Zealand Infantry Brigado (said General Godley).came the honour of capturing the key to the wh.ile position attacked by the Second Army. In this they had succeeded, when they captured and consolidated the Btaefc Line, forward.of Messinas. As .they had been the original brigade to leave IScw Zealand he had asked General. Russell to give them this to do, and they had done il:«Tvell. He was sure no body of troops could have done the work better or mora completely. The dash of'the brigade and the manrier in. which .they had attacked were absolutely all that cquld.be des red. and he hod no hesitation in say iff that the Battle of Messines had Bet Ul6 seal on what they had already, done on. Gallipoli and the Somme. Their casnn - ties testified to the seventy of the nglltinjr they hiul to do. . , General Godlev said he frequently <.<?- plored the loss, of their gallant brifrjulier who -was killed at the moment of victory at the head- of the brigade he had so gallantly, led to. the top of .the hill. He was a great loss to the force, and alhO ?„ and to the -Empire There was no finer man.. He was sure ther all fell how much they had l»s« in his death, and in the deaths.of tlm oilier teave = officers, ■ officers, and men who had fallen ; m that Meat victory. In- conclusion, the Gene al said like just to tell the S of the brigade how-proud, he was lo have had a hand in the raisin- of the Vint Brigade and bringing it f™m ££ ~„l.„j He was sure nlsotnai eieo ™in New Zealand wonM lie proud to what they, had; done for the corps.