NEW ZEALANDERS AT LE QUESNOY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 49, 22 November 1918, Page 5

NEW ZEALANDERS AT LE QUESNOY

SCALING THE RAMPARTS

A THRILLING STORY (From Captain Malcolm Ross, Official Correspondent with tho New Zealand Forces.) November 5When tales of fiercer' fights • have almost been forgotten the storming and capture of Lo Quesney by U-o New Zealand Rifle Brigade .will bo remembered " as one of the most picturesque and romantic incidents of this war. The old fortress which has stood many 6ieges is still wonderfully strong with precipitous ramparts of well-preserved brick bastions crowned with tall trees and a dry moat fronting the inner rampart. Many besiegers have had a tilt at it in olden times. In 1793 the Austrians stormed it after a ten days' bombardment that laid the town in ruins. In 1916 troops from the farthest British dominion have captured it from what was the ■world's greatest military power, in -asmany hours. Though ultimately it fell_ to one battalion—tho 4th—the credit of its capture belongs almost equally to the other battalions of the brigade, and those of the Ist Brigade that fought so gallantly and gradually enveloped the town in face of determined opposition. The German' orders were to hold the town to tho last. Dawn was just breaking as our troops, who had assembled overnight in rain, advanced to the attack behind a magnificent barrage. Mingled ■ with the bursting of ordinary shells were shMls of llehinm and Stokes, trench mortars, while from still others descended a smoke curtain that screened the main advance and protected the flanks from n .possible deadly hail of machine-gun bullets. The fire at zero hour was truly terrific. Small wonder that in the track of this cyclonic battle-storm were found afterwards the bodies of dead Germans and many wounded who could neither walk nor crawl away. Attacking the Ramparts, The high embankment of the railway fronting the outer ramparts was our first objective. This was strongly held, and gained only after stubborn fighting, during which several Germans were Killed and wounded, and others taken prisoner. Approaching the outer Tamparts another battalion, the second, found a 77 mm. gun-firing at it'over open sights, making an advance in the face of casualties exceedingly difficult. Meantime other battalions were gradually encircling the town to the south and south-west, and the fourth battalion, whose advance let us now follow, pushed patrols under cover of the barrage and smoke screen right up to the foot of the outer ramparts, and in places on to their ba/ition heights.. When the smoke screen had gradually drifted away there came the stuttering noise of machineguns,- and belt after belt of German bullet whistled through the trees at the advancing New Zealanders. One platoon found 'keif cut off. Its ' commander was killed while endeavouring to extricate his men, and in the hollow betv/een two brick walls a daring sergeant remained with liis men for six hours. As the sun rose and the bombardment slackened, civilians saw our men on the outer ramparts,' and greeted them with distant cheers and waving of flags, inspiring them to renewed efforts. • But it was not till after midday that the patrols, like wary deer stalkers, began to mark down the Bocho machine-guns and snipers and systematically shift them irom the cover of their bastions. These enemy positions were bombarded with only available Stokes ' mortar, and ii f^ er , n , no ]'i er occupied. A narrow,, thirty-foot ladder was hauled along, and on this officers and men climbed to the top of the precipitous W-shaped bastions dominating the line of advance. Messages sent in to the garrison were so Jar without: avail. One dropped by aeroplane told them they wero entirelv surrounded. Later, on an ultimatum demanding surrender within two hours made the eonimander think that surrender wag better than annihilation, and the opposition perceptibly slackened, but on some of the rampart positions men had apparently not received the news, and maintained a defensive attitude. Inner Wall Scaled; This was the situation when the fourth battalion dee'ded to scale the inner wall. In front through the trees iney could see a great moat and formidable rampart of brick, crowned with machine-guns still in action. Only in one place was it possible to reach the bastion by means of their thirty-foot ladder. This was a spot at which the low tTCill abutted on to tho main rampart. In single file the officers led their men to the final assault. The track beaten by their feet can still be seen leading between trees and along the top of this, narrow wall. With a Stokes mortar 'arid machine-guns the New Zealanders'dawe the. enemy on to the reverse slope from the summit of the bastion. Then a ladder was placed against . the wall. It barely reached the top, Two second lieutenants : with three men ascended. It was a thrilling moment. Leaving the last rung of tho ladder these men found themselves confronted by a few Germans, who, finding our. bullets whistling about them, sought safety in flight down! the slope and into an underground cavern, where other Bodies wero sheltering. Following upon this initial success, practically the whole battalion streamed quickly-in single file along l.lie lower . wall and up the ladder. Headquarters, which throughout the day consisted of one signaller 'with. .1 telephone and fhe battalion commander, and was being advanced by' slow stages from point to point, now mounted fhe parapet, men paying out the telephone wire as tlrey •climbed. Patrols were, pushed down the reverse 6lopc, and the' Bodies sheltering .underground began to surrender freely. Within-a few-minutes the whole battalion engaged in the vicinity had swarmed up the ladder and- were dashing into the bolcagucred town vlirough fhe Hue Caillpn, which was first swept with our machine-gun fire. A Memorable Scene. Then a memorable scene occurred. The inhabitants, realising that at - last deliverance had come, rushed from cellars and houses, and soon from every building the Tricolour was flying in the breeze. Along the street, lined with an excited, cheering throng, the Diggers marched-, embraced-and'kissed and s hovered with autumn flowers. The enthusiasm knew 110 bounds. Here and there a rifle still cracked, our men taking 110 chances whan they saw a Boche who had not surrendered. Tho battalion commander marched with revolver in one band and garlands in the other. The excited civilians stuck flowers in the men's tunics, and oven in their gas respirators, and followed cheering to the main square, where the German commandei\ with a hundred men, already drawn up, surrendered to a young New Zealand captain, whom -lie formally saluted, and lo whom he handed his revolver. Meantime other Germans had deliberately fired some of the houses, and dense columns of blacl; smoke rose and drifted across to the northern ramparts. Two New Zealand officers were sent with a hundred prisoners to fight the flames. Other prisoners were rounded up and gathered in the main square. Close at hand was a Rreat barbed wire enclosure where these French men and women said our prisoners had been left in the rain without food or clothing till some of them died of hunger and exposure. They seemed surprised that we should treat the Germans so 1 humanely. The battalion got its steaming cookers into tho town, and the men after their stremioiH fighting enjoyed a hot meal. The inhabitants had given them hot coffee and food from their own. scanty stores, and pressed upon them the best accommodation their homes could afford. Many a Digger use] 10 damp clay swept that night in a warm bed. Civic Wolcomc to the Victors. This morning the divisional general brigadier formally visited the town. The former, after a brief stay, rode off to the forest of Mormal, io see how his still advancing troops were getting on. Beyond Lo Quesnoy he established headquarters in hi§ motor-car. Tho briga-

tlier remained to receive a civic welcome and congratulations. The band of the Second Battalion played the "Marseillaise" nnd our National Anthem, amid renewed jubilation. Then the battalion, now somewhat reduced in number because of its dead and wounded .formed up in the square, and headed by a band playing inspiriting music, marched past the brigadier, who, sitting on his charger, hand to rim of steel casque, took the salute of hi 3 war-worn heroes. Swinging proudly down the main street, the little column was showered with flowers and flags. White-haired old men doffed their hats as the battalion passed, but the younger people, less sedate, followed, cheering and waving their Tricolours. Thus in a cold drizzle of rain, but still in great heart, with band playing and flags flying, and a solitary inglish gun shooting at a far-distant target, the Jvew Zealanders marched oft' from the old town they had delivered from the ruthless eneniy.