BATTLE OF MESSINES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3180, 3 September 1917, Page 6

BATTLE OF MESSINES

*0W THE WOUNDED NEW ZEALANDERS ; WERE CARED FOR ' •7 SPLENDID ORGANISATION ' For days before the Battlo of Messi'nes (writes, the" New Zealand Oifioial Cones- ■. pondent, Captain Malcolm Rose) cm?' : Jnedical services wero I>U3_V with arrnnpe- ! ments for the prompt treatment arid evacuation of the wounded. Ono watched

the preparations with interest, and wondered if they would be oomploted in time. All concerned worked with tireless energy. When the morning of' tho battle dawned everything was ready. The Assistant Di' rector of Medical Services of the New •Zealand Division was made responsible not only for tho evacuation of the wounded from his own division, but also"*far tho evacuation of the wounded from another division which passed through tho New Zealand Division after the latter

[had established itself beyond Messincs. The plan of the operation made this ad-, visable. In the very early dawn, looking over the parapet of the trench from •which with another war correspondent I watched the battle, we saw the first •wounded—walking cases—coming back across the open. Prom that hour onward the evacuations proceeded steadily, and there was at no time any accumulation on the field, at the aid posts, or at tho dressing stations. Wounded Germans were taken in and treated just as wero our own men.

Casualties Light. ' Ono of thei most surprising things in "|the battle was the Bight of out motor'embulance cars running up to the original regimental aid posts six hours after the first shot in the battle proper had "been tired. This great success.was attributable no' doubt to tho clock-work "regu- ' Jarity and rapidity of the advance, and tho excellent work of the road-menders. Owing largely to tho precautions taken, ■and the fact that the Germans were so ' decisively beaten, the casualties m the New Zealand Medical Corps were remark l ' ably light. We lost no doctors, aril only • one other rank was killed. Twolvo men ■ were wounded, and ten other men' moro '■'" lightly wounded remained on duty. . Excellent work was done in keeping ■ "up communications.. One telephone lino was several times broken by shell nre, 11 : but it was always promptly repaired. '""Dispatch riders on motor-cycles were ot ""considerable assistance. One of .the ; buildings of an advanced dressing station was hit by an enemy shell, which set fire to the roof; with the result that it - was burnt down. Some of tho areas occupied by advanced dressing, stations wero -".'often bombarded with gas shells, but the "■ work went on in spito of this, doctors " at ono station working with their noses plugged up with cotton wool, while the , . mouthpiece# of their gas helmets wero ' iept in the month so that they could breatho in safety. , It was not ea6y to "■ work with tho mask and the goggles on, ~ 'so this alternative method was 'adopted. ' 'At different points drinks and light refreshments wero provided for the wounded walking cases, the Y.If.C.A. as usual doing excellent work m this direction.

Doctors and Stretcher-Bearers. Once more tko doctors and stretcherbearers worked with great gallantry and untiring devotion in dressing . and attending the wounded. One ot the Field Am- .. ibulanob. captains took Ms bearer section - repeatedly through a very heavy barrage ' and succeeded in bringing back maul. ,winded who were lying exposed to tne enemy's fire. During the attempted counter-attack by the enemy he also took his bearers through a barrage hotli to an*} from an advanced regimental ma 'poet, tnd in addition to I "•■it tho post he brought back all the , iwounded to safety and without casualties i to his men. But for his aotion many of our wounded would have had to suiy in ehell-holes all the night without attention This doctor.had previously done excellent work of a similar on the Somme. Another doctor, attached to the Aucklanders, went over with lus battalion on the morning of the ,th, and. established his regimental aid POSt_well forward of Battalion Headquarters. From that time until relieved, he wasi continually on duty under heavy sheM-fire, attending not only to our wounded, but also to those of the dmßion in front, fiis fl A P. "was the farthest advanced on the divisional front.; Undoubtedly many Jives were saved owing to his advanced . position and the untiring energy ho disP Attached to the Wellingtons was a captain with a long record of fine service in Gollipoli' and in France, who again did fine work under shell-fire attending to our wounded. A third ulso had a fine record on the Sornme, now. as regimental medical officer, again fljd his duty as regardless of danger. After his battalion took over lie established lis aid post east of the Mcssmes RWge, and there he remained bravely carrying out his work although subjected to heavy intermittent shell-fire Once he, and Ms Btaff were shelled out of .their po»t, but Tather " than go back into comparative safety, or more clear of the track. moat frequently by the wounded, he simply shifted his aid post to the other side, rind carried on until the battalion was withdrawn from the line.' . His conduct und bravery throughout were inspiriting land magnificent. . . . , "Two other captains' likewise displayed -■•great bravery. One, after establishing r'v'jiis dressing station at 5 o clock on the mornin" of the 7th, worked under shell fire during the whole of. the battle. This •was the first aid. .post .established, and --(here'many wounded from all, units were •"dealt with; -The other captain took his : bearer sections rapidly through the : enemy barrage, clearing the regimental aid posts of wounded, and searching the 1 shell holes for wounded. .He continued - oil day at this work, and when tho enemy attempted a counter-attack he led his bearers np to tho advanced aid posts - through heavy 'Are and brought back many wounded. At. Qallipoli,, on the ijomme, and at Armentieres, this maaß work was remarkably ■ fine. , ' Of the stretcher-bearers one oan wtiW onlv in terms of the highest admiration. •I'lieii- bravery and their -untiring energy and devotion were themes ojinconstant conversation amongst our, soldiors. A company -stretcher-bearer with the Wellingtons had arrived in tho early mornin» of June 10 back at a camp five miles away Tliere lie was told that six iugji rif his company were left out wounded Be- it once returned voluntarily, with three comrades, and successfully removed tliese wounded to an advanced' dressing station. This was done under continuous enemy shelling. A private, when some stretcher-bearers were wounded, .volunteered to carry on their work, which ho did -under heavy, shell fire with great " -pluck and endurance. For tlireo days ! ine worked as long as there was wounded to carry/and when there was no stretcherbearing to do he carried water up to the front line. Another privato worked for three days and nights continuously dressing and carrying out wounded men •under heavy shell fire. He saved several men's lives. Previously he had done ■ work of a like nature. But these are onlv a fow instances of similar conduct on the part of our brave stretcher-bearers. Under tho hottest shell fire most of them showed an utter contempt of danger, and ■ they worked until' they almost dropped from want of sleep and through sheer physical exhaustion.