MESSINES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 214, 4 June 1920, Page 7

MESSINES

9 WITH THE NEW ZEALAND DIVISION, (Contributed.) On every hand tho war is being fast forgotten. With it-goes the old spirit of comradeship. Yet it is but a oaro threo years since tho battle of Messines was fought—a battlo ever to be a. milestone in New Zealand's history. In order to stay forgetfulness this article is written. It is hoped that the recalling of places and names will not bo without interest, not only to those who wero with, the division at the times mentioned or at am time, but also to those who lost sons or brothers at Messines or elsewhere, , ;

Messines. Is it but threo years ago Why, it seems an age. Once scarce ra« membere it.

Fleurbaii, Laventie, Lo Bizet,. Ploegstoert. _ All, old "Plugst'reet." That brings it back a little. Hyde Park- Corner, Red Lodge, Bulford, Kortepyp, and Kegina Camps. Tho old names: how they como Hooding back. Hill 63, with tho old Catacomus, Do Seule, Komarin, Bruno Gaye, Canteen Corner. How do they inok to-day? The old. "Frog^iea"—■. do they ovor giro a thought for tho Neuvello inlanders? Jean, Henri, and Paul, wo expect, hold sway with' the mademoi' 6ellcs, now-a-days. But, Madame, perhaps, has a kindly thought for lis occasionally. Do you,; recollect .tho little villages near St, Omer where we trained for ilessincs What of tho inarch baok thore? ; You, who' wero First Brigade, will recall marchj,ng past General Godley near Vieux Berquin— the horse show at Sferazeelt— tho few days' stay at Petit sec Bote— then tho threo weeks' training near St. Omer, For the most part tkera was glorious weather, and everyone waa as fit as a fiddle. Then tho.inarbh baok: Arques, Zutpenne, and Pettit Geo Boia again. With full marching order and eteel holmcts, it was warn work. How splendid in tho spring and summer woa France, with its beautiful! trees, intense cultivation, and fields of ripening corn. Back to Do Sculo Again. From Do Soulo to Hill, S3 what preparations had been made. Dump 3 everywhere,; shells everywhere; gijns almost wheel to wheel. Yoi the Hun seemed in blissful ignorance oj it all, for he put comparatively littld real."hate" over. - Oli; yes, of course, gas. Havo you forgotten tho noise of a bursting gas shell? No, not mustard gos< only phosgene and lachrymatory sheila, for we used only tho. mouthpieces of oui S.B.R.'s then—a thing wo dared novei' do. a few weeks later. Then tho "stunf' itself. My God, what a weight a man had to carry into action—fighting -kit, rations, iron rations, field dressing, S.A.A., bombs, rifle grenades, flare pistol, flares, and a spaao or a pick. Ilow : did we feel? No, not "windy," or, at least, not very "windy." Nervous, por> haps, and anxious that the stunt should be a success; but as zero drew on, everything gave way to a feeling of courage and confidence—even elation. How low tho contact plates flew that morning. Zero. Will you fver forget that? The explosion of tho mines; tho roar of our barrage as, on tho instant, every gun opened out: just one continue ous; deafening roar,'with the occasional ■ deep bark of a twelve-inch "How." It was indescribable.

What good fellows fell that day, and on the days that followed. Many, old comrades sincc Gallipoli. Not our men n.lone, but many of our old comrades, tho "Aussie 3," and men of i;ho Irish Division, Then, when cur ndvancc was complete, with what fierceness did the Hun pouud that heap of rubble ; which once was tho village of Mesaines, ami the whole countryside around. What a relief to lie out of the tornado of battle—back to Btilford, Kortepyp, ot Regina Camps, or Bi'uiie Crnye, or Komarili. The excitement of battle gave way to a feeling of deep exhaustion—somo of us too tired to cat, hungry though wo were—sleep our only desire. Then, next day, loss tired than before, how eagerly we devoured the Englisti papers with their lurid accounts of the battlo -the battle out of which we had just come. ■ In tho davs to come, what pilgrimages, there will bo to the graves -of old olid loved comrades. Some bravo men lie at Prowfio Point: others at Red Lodge, Charing Cross, and Mud Lane, while others nwiih lie one knows not where, for all' over tho field of battlo New Zealand blood was poured, forth freely. Wherever they lie, they died as any man might wish to die.