THE NEW ZEALAND TUNNELLERS.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 May 1917, Page 4

THE NEW ZEALAND TUNNELLERS.

Letter From D. Q. O’Brien. Mr D Q, O’BrieD, a member of the New Zealand Tnnnelling Corps, sends the Mayor of Westport (Mr Arthur * Leaver) another of his spirited letters from the western front v He writes: “ Once, again, I write to let. you know that the tunnellers are working determinedly to achieve success. Through the winter snows, they stuck gamely to their task, and by good work are carving a proud name for their country on the battlefields of Europe. ‘’At mining, the Coast men can hold their own with tjhe world’s best, and 1 am sure tbsir friends, in the mining districts of New Zealand, will admire the tunnelisrs’ devotion to duty when they know that these meni of independent character and confirmed habits of seasons’ enjoyment, were on parade before the first streak of dawn on Christmas morning. Not a man missing from the ranks, as silent stars looked down on -the sturdy re liefs of miners lined up for work on a historic Napoleon road. “Into file,” “right turn,” “quick maroh”—and away they go ! their footsteps have a true military,riog on the frosty roads as they swing past, and their rugged and manly forms are visible for a brief moment by the flash of a friendly gun as tbsy proceed to the outer ticaches to relieve their mates.' “Christmas weather is very different from our own sunny Christmas of the Southern Seas—here the first month of winter was cold and bleak, a dull, leaden sky, sleet, rain and snow, « and the mid-winter month was vety cold—the severest winter for the last' hundred years. The ground was frozen many feet deep, but was very good for traffic until the tha w sat iD, when the roads were nearly useless. “The terrible struggle continues.' What awful wane and desolation—the apparent results of war. Buildings, dignified and beautiful, which took centuries of civilisation to perfect, are wrecked and destroyed, and the haunting loneliness of deserted towns Dear the firing line. At midday, the echoes of your own footsteps mock every step, and the shell-song in the sir any suddenly change to a whistling scream, the deafening explosion, the roar and rattle of falling masonry advertise the arrival of one more shell ia a battered town. “Theold year went out with shtll songs and as the last bonrs slipped by I listeuod-to the tramp of an armed SBntry. Then be paused to count the battery guns down by the ehadowy ruins as they boomed forth challenges to the enemy. “ Early this year, the Hun horlsd ovek* thousands of gas shells well baok on our lines. About 10 p.m. was his

favorite time. No doubt he tried to catch the men asleep j also the horse transport. Gas shells oan easily be detected by a peculiar whirr in their flight,but the tbonghtfn! Hun due* a little bombarding. to deceive his intentions with the noise. The gas shells explode quietly, liberating the deadly poisonous fumss. “ However the Boacbe paid dearly for the gas act. Our artillery s'arted a bombardment, continually shilling the enemy tranches day and night, Conversation was difficult with the roar cf- the guns. The howitzer eighteen pounder and the field gotß sent salvos over at a furious xa'e. lhe giant cannons away in the rear lent a hand, the angry shells screaming vengeance as they passed overhead. At times a winking ring of fljme Horn the fiery throats of the steel monsters lit up the aurroandiogs. The ganuers served the gnus faithfully, and next day the bombardment was intense, and the might of Eng'and was felt in gnns and munitions. As evening wore on the pace quickened tfke spirited music and the range lengthened as the soldier boys were up aid over ths top with the best of luck. The enemy’s wire entanglements were ebattered to bits and bis trenches levelled. Tbe sddiets penqfrated to the tbisd lioe, offering the chance to surrender to the occupants of the dug-outs. Those not complying quickly were promptly destroyed with a powerful bomb. “When our soldiers moved forward with tbs attack, the enemy replied with a barrage fire, but the tunnellers treated it with contempt and their ration of rum was served out in an old building barrage fire, and the Hnn failed to preveat them getting tbeir issue, if they oorna to grips *with the enemy, they .will always remembir that grievance. "On February 8, we suffered a misfortune—a burst of shrapnel e truck part of my old relief, k 1 ing four and wounding three. They were tenderly borne to the rear and buried with all the decencies of civilisation possible. Their many friends may rest assured that the graves of New Zealanders will be honored in those ancient villages of the fair lands of Francs. “I am over iu London on duty, but here only a day yet. 1 am yearning to get back to the sounds of the gun,'. The lure of a decisive battle bas a fascination and I wish to get back and with the coming (spring burst forth with our magnificent army to victory. “I received the parcel you advised me of, and I am sura the senders would feel the value of their tbonghnl gift if they saw how we relished the delicacy on toasted biscuits around a very small fire in a cellar on a bitterly oold nighs.”