NEW ZEALANDERS IN THE BATTLE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 308, 17 September 1918, Page 6

NEW ZEALANDERS IN THE BATTLE

RiFLE BRIGADE IN ACTION STORIES OF HEROIC GALLANTRY (.From tli© N.Z. Official Correspondent.) September 12. The Rifle Brigade attacUed this morning in a new adrance east and north of Havriucourt A\ r ood, on a front oi three thousand yards. The Mew ZoalaiuleiV share in to-day's ' operations was 'to advance beyond the crest of the ridge on a portion of which the ltilies had already got a footing two days ago. One battalion had advanced through Llouzeaucourt AVood and gained the crest and portion of the ridge, with some twenty-five casualties, going through with the barrage without a stop. Another battalion that bad really less to do was not so successful, largely perhaps owing to the fact that its command was changed four times within thirty-six hours The oolonel was woundtfd, then the motor carried on till lie in turn was wounded: An Auckland captain then assumed coannand till another major arrived from the Details camp. All this occurred during a relief and preparations for attack. In this attack was experienced for the first time the new development of "scattering gas bombs." It is surmised that thoy"wero fired from a mortar of special manufacture. The grass where they fell was charred. In to-day's battle the riflemen advanced after a magnificent barrage from all our "own guns and other artillery. One of our finest fighting battalion comnianders had his men dashing forward beforo the first shells hit the ground, and in fifteen or twenty niuiiites had gained his first objective with only one casualty. This battalion here captured two officers and over one hundred prisoners, mostly from a Jaegar regiment. Other battalions also captured prisoners, and by 10 o'clock three hundred had gone past brigade headquarters. After tho first surprise, .however, there was fierce fighting for several hours, the enemy making a stubborn stand. We g.-it prisoners from all the battalions of two divisions that were in tho line here, our men having to repel counter-attacks made by fresh troops that had only come in the previous night. With the Jaegers were the West Prussians; who also fought veil. At the time of writing the Jvow /enlanders have made excellent progri'a?. ' Most of the prisoners I saw were sturdy fellows, especiaLlv the '..'lard 1 ; Battalion of Jaegers. Their strength had been ,-ieatly minced m tho defence of So is ;o ns, and at Vilbrs Lotterot, and last nif?!)' wme of their companies oame into line only twenty strong. They .*poko fr Kv i'id told an interesting story. Of late the" have got to know all about the (lOtmsn defeats from their own coimndes. k :ncp the last few weeks they have lost all confidence in the supreme command, and now think the war a useless massacre. Tlig loss of Kgihiucl they regarded as a great blow, for it was the ley to a position they had gained at <vreat cost. In many instances now great reluctance was shown to go to the front, and even good troops would surrender if away from their officers. These men of the Guards Battalion, who were, in the outpost line away from their officers, willingly gave themselves in), though told that they would be massacrcd. This they did no*; believe, and wore not surprised whon tho Aew Zonlanders gave them excellent biscuits and cigarettes. Their own tobacco was mado 'mainly from cherry leaves. Tlioy were a fine strapping, intelligent lot these Jaegers, and though they" were delighted at being captured, their comrades, who were farther back with their officers, fought most stubbornly, such was their discipline. They had lio great complaint to make about thoir food in the line, but •.(aid that the conditions in some of .the larKO manufacturing towns were terrible. In tho country it was not so bad, as the farmers were getting all they needed, and slaughtering whenever they thought fit. A large section of tho German Army had now come to doubt their political, as well as their military leaders, and but for the discipiiuo which still prevailed, there would be & danger of revolution.

ANOTHERJAH FIGHTING September 13. All yesterday afternoon and .through the our thin khaki line wits struggling with superior forces of Jaeger green and \vohi. Prussian nelu groy. \\'ith attack and councer-attacii me- outpost lino swayed back and forward. The battlefield was whipped with a bitter wind and rain-storms which presented a cheerless scene, lie was a stout riglucr, yesterday who could find any joy in tbo battle. By the evening the New Zealanders had beui compelled to withdraw iron the ground they had gained during the day, but- in the night, fighting with erim determination, they regained it all. Then once more tbo enemy countered and recovered some of tiie ground in the centre. 'Underneath a crucifix, in a vault dimly lit with candes advanced headquarters were establubed, and from these strange surroundings hour after hour was lought a battle, the result of which was a severe blow for the enemy, for his losses m killed and wounded, to say nothing of prisoners, were far beyond ours. li'or a long spoil now the .New Ztcalanders have been in tho line, ana thore have been stirring episodes m their lighting. In most of it they have met with stubborn opposition. Officers and non-commissioned olhcers and oven privates have shown rare qualities of leadership and resource, and . at all times an utter disregard ot danger. A Stout-Hearted Fighter. There was one stout-hearted sergeant who in quick succession had recently won the Distinguished Conduct and Military Medals, and who now set •out to eclipse his former deeds. Undei bpavv tire he led a sniad bombing paibj fmd iaptured a machine-gun. ite then proceeded up a sap alone, bombing tin, orews of three other, machine-guns before him. Then he jumped out ot to trench, rnn ahead ol the enemj, and standing on the parapet,- oideicd then two officers and ton men to suriendei. Instantly they fired at him. He itplied by throwing a. bomb and lumpni Fiom the parapet into their midst In less than a minute ho had lulled two, and the others ran for their lives, and the sergeant got their machine-guns. A platoon 4 sergeant ot a Wellington regiment displayed great bravery duiinf an attack on the lngh ground east of"i'Lanieuiirt. When the crest was reached it wa« found that a line of five machine-gun posts directly in ttont Sated the ridge and the ground for 120 vards down the forward slope, making'the position untenable lor our men. A whole company went forward in line to deal with these posts, from which the (ire came at point-blanU range and heavy. Tho men were ialline, and this sergeant,, realising the Berinusness of tho position, when about twenty yards away, followed by anotlici man, dashed forward ahead of hi. platoon, rushed the centre post, and succeeded in demoralising the garrison. Tin. nlatoon followed, and tho opposition from that post ceased. The sergeant then rushed to the post on the left in a similar manlier, and tie other posts were quickly cleared by the remainder of tho company. How a Hero Fell. The story of another sergeant attach-

ccl to nil Auckland company provides an exporienco in itself. His company, on reaching the outskirts of Frevillers, eamt) under heavy machine-gun fire, hut through the dashing leadership of this man three machine-gun positions were rushed and the crews taken prisoner before they inflicted many casualties on our advancing troops. The company headquarters had reached the. outskirts of ■ the village in advance of tile first attacking wave, which was nearly six hundred yards in the rear. As soon as our men appeared 011 the crest the ma-chine-guns opened fire on them from concealed shell-hole positions one Hundred yards in advance of the headquarters. Without a moment's hesitation the sergeant dashed straight for these positions, over ground entirely devoid of cover, and with the assistance of the headquarters personnel killed or captured the whole of three opposing gun-teains. Later the advance was held up 011 the right, 011 the tdge of the St. Quentin road. An intense machine-gun fire swept the ground. Our attacking troops took what shelter they could find in a small sap and in '"hellholes. At this critical juncture a sergeant walked forward regardless of the enemy's (ire, Mid located the positions of the' nearest guns. He returned and reported to his lieutenant. Some way off was a British tanlc in action, and the sergeant started off to get it to come to the assistance of his men. This adventure led him across three nundred yards of open ground swept by the enemy's fire. The Germans were firing at the tank with a light gun, and before he could reach ifc lie was wounded in the right arm by one of these antitank shells. His arm was bleeding freely, ro he came back once more to his iieutenant and had it bound rp This accomplished, he went forward again, and this time succeeded in reaching the tank, which he proceeded to guide into a position from which' it could silence the enemy machine-guns. Before it could reach the position the tank was put out of action and the officer in command was badly wounded. With undaunted courage the sergea.it organised the tank's crew with then* Lewis guns, some New Zealanders joining them. This party he led in two sections, under heavy fire, to the commanding positions, so that the enemy's machine-gunners had to withdraw, and our advance was continued successfully. At this moment lie was killed by a bullet from a sniper's rifle.