NEW ZEALANDERS IN FRANCE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3194, 19 September 1917, Page 7

NEW ZEALANDERS IN FRANCE

» GENERAL BIKDWOOD'S APPRECIATION The following letter from General Birdwood was read by Sir James Allen in the House of Representatives yesterday:— "I am afraid that I have practically no news to give you, as X am glad to say that dunng tne last few weeks n.y cc-rps has, for the first time 6inee our arrival in I'rance, been having a rest— and a thoroughly well-deserved one as far as my men. are concerned. We had a very hard time of it just before we came out lor this, in all ihe fighting we had in the vicinity of Bullecourt; but that is all such an old story now that it should be very stale r.ews, if I we're to write about it. It was, I think, the hardest fighting in which our troops have yet been engaged, for on one occasion wo had to fight oui - way into the Hindenourg line, and maintain oarselves there with, both flanks exposed for several days and nights against constant counter-attacks until other/troops ]oined up with us. i

'In the middle of April we bad one bit if fighting wnich delighted everyone, i'our German divisions, including two of lie Prussian' Guards, made a big attack long my whole front, for, curiously nough, it coincided exactly with the lont held by my corps, the troops on jglit and left .of us being left alone, lere we are not nolding a regular lino of renches, but 6eries of villages, with losts in between. One of these villages he Germans were able to penetrate, and here got hold of five of my light guns, vhich they blew up. Then our counter>ttack fell upon them from all sides, mrling them back with tremendous loss. Ve actually counted some 3000 dead Gernans in front of our different villages, virile, further oft", they had to struggle tack through' their own thick wire enaug'lement, and while doing ,this_ the vhole of my heavy and light artillery vere on them as hard as .they could go. rVhat the Germans actually lost there vej of course, do Dot know, but we could ;ee large piles of, dead heaped around. iTou can imagine how this delighted my >oys, whose tails were completely up, vhile from that day the Germans never ittempted to advance to the attack igainst us—though, jis I have said, when ive were actually in the Hindenburg line, ve were subjected to constant attacks, "I know how delighted you will all lave'been at the magnificent work done iy your New. Zealand Division, alongside jf whom, lam glad 'to say, two of the Australian divisions were fighting on the M'essines Ridge. I was very pleased at being able to see them just before the ifcack, and to go'through all'their orders with them. I felt perfectly confident that their operations would result in complete success. I was very glad to see, also, at least a hundred of my old friends, who were on the Gallipoli Peninsula with me, during my short visit to them. "There is bo doubt about it that the Germans in front of ns have their well down, and that they have lost all power of initiative. I wish this meant that I saw the end in. view, but I am sorry to say I do not, for one cannothelp realising that in these days of barbedwire entanglements and deep trenches, it may always be possible for a beaten force, as long as they have plenty of ammunition, to hold out for a very long time, especially . ..when they realise, as their military- classes .do,, that defeat means their extinction, • ' _ "Your great success at Messincs will, I hope have been a real help to you, find ensured another wave of enthusiasm—if, indeed, tEis was necessary, to keep up your numbers. Twill', of course, take' advantago of tho hint you give mo as regards letTing men know tho value of good reports being sent to 'New Zealand regarding their "oehaviour on all occasions.