BATTLE STORIES.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 June 1917, Page 4

BATTLE STORIES.

GAFFANT NEW ZEAFANB GUNNERS.

Foxnox, April 20

In the fighting against the Turks in the neighbourhood of Gaza ■'during the middle of March, the New Zealanders performed great deeds. Writing on March 27 Mr W. T. Massey says:— v The New Zealanders got to close quarters towards sunset, and had desperate fighting till the close approach of reinforcements to the enemy necessitated the cavalry’s withdrawal, as it was between two fires. This was accomplished without casvialties before morning. Of the many deeds which will stir Britons’ blood I will describe two, though they are not the only gallant efforts worthy of record during these days.. One concerns the New Zealanders, whose brigade got to the sea north of the position. Ordered to assist the infantry attack at half-past 4, with the Yeomanry, they took an important ridge, and proceeded across the flats strongly opposed by the enemy in pits behind dense cactus hedges, very deadly obstacles, but quickly carried them. The New Zealanders wept on, gqt into the position, rushed the epeiny battery, and captured 20Q men and some howitzers, which the enemy made frequent desperate attempts to regain. Finally,, the enemy gunners and some infqntry go.t into a country house a hundred yards off, and endeavoured to prevent the removal of the guns. The New Zealanders refused to leave the guns, loaded them, and trained them against the house until it was demolished and the occupants killed. Then the Turkish infantry tried to rush the guifs, but were driven off with the bayonet. Darkness now set in. The New Zealanders were ordered to retire, but would not come away without the guns. They brought them back to our lines this morning. Their casualties during the day were two killed and 29 wounded ; they took 225 prisoners, and probably killed and wounded as many more.”

EANCSRS GREET COSSACKS. At popn op April 2 the British and Russians met at Kizil Robat, in Mesopotamia. Mr Fdmund Caudler thus describes the events which followed the capture oi Baghdad“ On March 3, a day or two after the news of the occupation of Kut, the Turks fell back from Asadabad Pass, 15 miles north-west of Hamadan, fighting a succession of rearguard actions until the ioth, when they held up tbs Russians at Karasu River, where they had destroyed the

bridge. The Russians captured Kermanshah on the nth, the same day that we entered Baghdad. From Kermanshali the pursuit continued without a halt to Seramil Kerind, where the Turks occupied strong previously' prepared positions across a gorge. A rearguard action was fought for io days. The enemy retired on March 30. The Russians pursuing in close contact, arrived at Kasir-i-Shirin on March 31, and at Kizil Robat on April 2. The road all the way' from Hamadaii was a defile between snowclad ranges, which made a -turning movement almost impossible, Hence there was no opportunity of rounding up the Turkish rearguard, but, owing to the relentless pressure of the pursuit, the enemy suffered heavy losses in the retreat through artillery fire, sickness, and exhaustion. All the way the road was littered with dead mules,horses, camels, asses, and buffaloes. The Turks’ ranks were thinned by ty'phus, and their- infantry were footsore, their light Hamadan boots lasting only a few days, and most of them were barefooted. The villages were full of deserters. The country between Kermaushau and Khanikiu /s an uninhabited waste. Seven armies have passed through it in ten months, villages are abandoned, and supplies do not exist even in districts which are least exhausted. The two armies were dependent on a country' that could barely' support a brigade. Many Turks fell from exhaustion, and the cemeteries of every village show signs of new graves. Nearly 2000 were counted at Kermansiiah alone.”