New Zealanders in The Somme Battle

Horowhenua Chronicle, 18 November 1916, Page 3

New Zealanders in The Somme Battle

HLiROIC" STAND BY CANTERBURY MEN. (,I'rom Malcolm Ross, War- Correspondent wfth N.Z. Forces.) Divisional Headquarters, 21st September.

After ihe great bound forward by our armies .n the battle of tlie Somme 011 the 15th and: Ibtli, heavy rain set in, and tlie weather became bitterly cold Oiir men holding the iiist line had to endure considerable hardiships, but they stuck it out .splendidly. llie roads became deep in mud of varying consistency and it was with great difficulty that our first lino transport was able to get through it all. These roads reminded one of the pioneering days in winter mi the backblocks of Te Ivuiti and iaihape. But, if anything, these battle-roac'is were worse than the worst New Zealand could at any time produce, and in addition the traffic was a thousand times greater. For hours one day £ walked over the battlefield, witnessing scenes of death and desolation 'lhe shell-holed earth was encumbered* with ail the ruin and none of the panoply of war. \ et all the time the traffic went on through the soaking rain and sticky mud. And every now and then the German shells came bursting over ridge and road and trench. Yet not even the elements and the German gunners could stop the set purpose of our brave troops. Always the full carts with often eight-hor.se teams, went forward laden with shells andi ammunition and food and water. A .SCENE OF DESOLATION. I walked from Montauban along a road on which every now and then a big German high explosive shell came crashing. A constant stream of British wounded was walking back along the road on the crest of the ridlge past Montauban The more serious cases were coming on in wagons. These were the "walkers" and the "sitters." Still more seriously wounded came past 111 tho motw ambulances. They were lying I an the stretchers on which they had been borne fioni the field) of batle, their clay-caked boots protruding from the blanke'ts that cover their bodies. And throughout all this long procession there was never a moan or a complaint. The "walkers" were mostly wounded in tho hand or arm, 01* had light wounds on the head, body or legs. In every case they recd'ved attention and their wounds had been well dressed. Further on a New Zealand tiUjutary joined the main current. They also were uncomplaining, and even in many cases cheerful. "This ought to be good enough lor a -few weeks in Blighty," .said one humorist who passed me with a bandaged shon,ldler that protruded from a ripped sleeve. And 110 doubt it would. Longneval was a .scene of desolation such as [ had not seen in all the war. We must have had one gun for every few yards of Longueval and Delville Wood. The wood was ftterally blown to bits; the village was in splinters. So great was the hurricane of iron that covered the face of tlie earth liero that the English troops that took the place were able to walk through Delville Wood fin the end almost unoppos- ' ed. Many German dead' and some of j their machine guns must have been put out of action here and buried by our shelling. ißesidic the road wore dead < men. some lying where they fell and j some thrown aside out of the way of the workmen. A dead German lay With his wan face staring at the sky. There had been 110 time to bury them. Those who wore still living claimed

our first thoughts. Oil the summlot the road that led down to the rillagi of Jflivs tlie German shells—shrapne ;uid high explosives—were falling a 1 irregular intervals. - The farther oui went the more dead one .saw. Just beyond the tea trench from which oui infantry started there was a line of English dead. More to the loft was a line <;f Xow Zealand dead. In every ease they fell forward on tlioii ■faces towards the enemy lino.s ahead. The shelving got worxo than ever. The Germans had several balloons up, and one looked right down this road. I took what lfttle shelter a narrow trench offered, and then, waiting for a lull, turned and commenced to retrace my steps. A young cavalry officer going back to get his kit in case his troop might get through joined- me. Then the German shells began to drop very near the road a hundred yards ahead. We left the road and turned to the right where a red 1 fh\g waved near one of our batteries. Hut it seemed to be the battery that the Gorman gunners were after. Shel's began ta rain about it, but it is surprising how near a shell can fall without knocking out a gun or even a gunner. The spot looked dcc.idecHy unhealthy, however, •so T went back to the road. And a-s f reached the bend where the road turned into what had once been the Tillage and the wood, another shell fell, k/'lling a man and. throwing the soft brewn soi' over me. Yet the stream of traffic scarcely stopped for more than a minute and the roadmenders went on with their work as if it had heen a .summer shower. A FIGHT IN THE IPARKXES.S. Du'rln.g one stage of the operations after the two days great battle it became necessary for Xow Zealanders to capture a trench on their left. They had to drive the Germans out of a threatening position — a po.sit.on that gave them a considerable advantage in holding their line on our left in view of a further attack, or in view of their attacking the village of Flers, "which we had captured. There were two stron,i points . whore ciws trenches intersected our main lines. The Canterburys had to make the attack, and theiv decided upon a silent atta;ck in the night. The attack commenced at 8.30 p.m. Stealthily advancing under cover of darkness our men .gained the onemv trench without much difficulty and, after a while, communications were established was a rather thin line of troops on the left. These troops, few in number, and apparently in process of being relieved, fell back and the enemy managed to get round on the New Zealand left. The opposing forces were soon at grips, and a deadly encounter ensued with bombs and bayonet. The Germans, knowing full well that the position was very j valuable to tlieiri, offered a determined resistance. Hitter bomb fight/lug ensued, and in course of time the trench became littered with dead— many more of the enemy than our.s. < Twice, with the force o.f superior numbers, the Germans drove the Canterbury men back. Jiut the Xow Zealaudeis, gallant'y led by a young captain, came at the enemy time and again. This young officer rallied the . tired and somewhat discouraged troops and himself led them to the atack. His energy and bravery were a stir- j ring example to all. All night long j the fight went' on, and just before dawn the Germans, who had by this j time suffered very heavy losses, were hurled back and other trooi>s coiling up on the left, somewhat eased the position. By aggressive fighting our men then drove the enemy right off the height, and at once proceeded to consolidate the pestion. The Germails left 350 dead and wounded in and about the trench, and we captured 22 prisoners. It was a very determined and gallant bit of work, and our losses were not half those of the enemy. f