THE NEW ZEALANDERS.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 June 1917, Page 2

THE NEW ZEALANDERS.

POSITION IN FRONT OF MESSINES

SPLENDID WORK OF WEST COAST SOLDIER.

(Special from the New Zealand Official War Correspondent.) FRANCE, Juno 22. The New Zealanders have recently been doing considerable advanced' patrol work. An officer, with one man entered Flerlinghein, and returned with threo prisoners.

Tho indications aro that the enemy, having recovered from the partial disorganisation into which £e was by the Messines defeat, has now settled down in the Warneton line.. The morale of his troops shows considerable deterio- A ration as the result of the Messines bat- " tie. Some of the prisoners lately captured realise that defeat ,is inevitable, especially if the submarine menace and the bid for a separate peace with Russia fail. Thero is a deterioration of rations in the firing line, and ammunition has to bo economised.

In spite of the enemy’s shelling we have held all our gains and have even extended field operations. Meanwhile at times wo listen to intense artillery bombardment elsewhere. Messines itself is a veritable charnel house, and during hot weather has to be put out of bounds. Many German dead lie there and owing to enemy shelling it hat been impossible to bnry them.

The New Zealanders’ quick success in capturing the town was in large measure due to individual acts of great dash and gallantry, the mon advancing even through our own barrage to put the enemy machine guns out of action. • m There was nothing more splendid ’Chan the action of a West Coast miner,, a corporal. He was wounded fifteen minutes after tho battle began, but fought on for five hours until he was again wounded, this time severely. Through tho smoke and dust of the barrage he saw that one well-placed : enemy machine gun threatened to hold , up our advance. It had already killed | a captain and put several men out of action. The corporal, with ono rifleman, advanced through the barrage and put this and another gun out of action, killing fourteen men of tho two crews. - Tho same corporal was instrumental in putting out of action one, if not two, other machine guns. Eye-witness-es spoke in terras of glowing praia# of his dash and bravery.