THE BUTTLE OF MESSINES.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 August 1917, Page 4

THE BUTTLE OF MESSINES.

ZEALANDERS’ GREAT WORK, ■ . TRIBUTES FROM ALL QUARTERS. Wellington, Aug 24. The following extract from, a letter from Major-General Sir Andrew' Rnssell was' read by tlie_Minister of Defence in the House of Representatives this afternoon “ ilessines ridge, on that part which the New Zealanders had to attack, (s a fdiriy steep, ridge on which the German was very comfortably entrenched; with an excellent observation of everything that was going on in onr lines below him. He was in fact, on the rim of a saucer, while we w,ere at the bottom. Conssqnently all our preparations in the way of improving onr. communication and constructing assembly trenches had to be done at night. Naturally, 'work at night, is never so expeditious or so easy as by day, and four or five weeks prior to the attack practically every inari in the division Rita to spend the bights working, getting what sleep he could during the day. This in itself was a severe tax On the men’s endurance, and I Was very glad fro find at the Grid fchat ’ there were a few days to spare in which to rest the men and give them a chance to puli fheihselves together for the big effort. WEIGHT OF METAL TELLS. “ The whole scheme of attack had been a matter of very careful thought, and involved a vast amount of staff work for those who were responsible for the plans. The fuels is that with the enormous concentration of artillery; life on the slopes in front of us had become practically impossible.

“ The battle, in a few words, was won through the weight of metal thrown on to the enemy’s positions, and the mettle of the nien who advanced to attack them. Everything went like clockwork The weather was; in our favour, as a thunderstorm cleared the.air and cooled it during the night of ;the assembly, while clouds, which still hung about the sky, prevented any observation on the part of the enemy. 'Consequently the assembly of our troops was carried out with hardly any loss, and you cau lealise what anxious moments, or rather hours, one passed when, having assembled several thousand men within a few hundred yards of the position, one waited for the actual moment to advance. THE GERMANS BAFFLED. “Had the Germans beeh able to discover our movements and shelled bur assembly trenches, no doubt we should have gone through with the, attack, but under very difficult com ditions. As it was, the men got over the parapets with hardly any losses,, and so excellent was the counter battery'-work that the enomy r ’s barrage; when it fell, was too thin to break up the attack. The actual positions were carried at vei’y slight expense. Our looses began to mount up after we reached our different objectives. We were withdrawn vei’y shortly afterwards from the sector on which we attacked, and were put in rather iower down the line, where onr friends from Australia made their start. We have since considerably extended our gains by small operations without any great difficulty, and are now in process of consolidating and improving the defence of what we gained.- . troops’ fine spirit. y “ The men were extraordinarily confident of success, and this no doubt helped them a lot. The battle was half won before it was begun, and I cannot Speak too highly ot the spirit displayed by everyone. Every day’, when I see what the men have put up with in the way of danger and hardships, it astonishes me with what cheerfulness and fortitude they, have put up with the very trying conditions they have met.

“We have again received congratulations oii all hands for the work done by the division, and I honestly think they’ are well deserved. lam glad to say that the health of the men and their spirits are as good as when I last wrote to you. The reinforcements are as good as ever, and there is not a division in France but would welcome them into its ranks. I send you these few lines to assure -you that so far as I can judge all is well with the division.”

. GENERAL JOHNSTON’S ! ACCOUNT. SIR I)OUGEAS HAIG’S praise. Extracts from a letter received by Sir Janies Allen froiii the late Biigadier General Johnston, dated jtine 14th, 1917, state “The division did well and maintained its high reputation. As far as the artillery was concerned. I Heed only quote from a memo sent us the day after the battle: ‘ The Army Commander directs me to congratulate all ranks of artillery ot the 2nd Anzac Division on the success gained to-day. He Wishes to thaiik them for the excellent work they have done during the

past wesk, and tpladd tHafc tHe sue- j cess gained to-day, tively little loss, ii entirely due to the Hard work and good shooting of.tlie artillery.’ “ In addition, Sir Douglas Haig came to see us. He patted me on the back and said, ‘Thank all your fellows for the splendid work they have done.” artillery’s great work. “ Everything went off without a hitch. The barrage was good, and the wire was all hut away, presenting no difficulties to the infantry, while the trenches arid strong points were all smashed in. I went over the battlefield next morning, and was riuich pleased to see how we had done our work, for although for weeks ahead one is busy locating and destroying some wire points, and any possible obstacle,-still you cannot see things as you' do afterwards. On our front you couldn’t detect the German front and support lines, they were so smashed in, arid only here and there could yon find strands of wire THE TANKS OVERRATED. “ I havn’t been able to hear of a single place where the infantry were held up. “ You will read much about Dimes and tanks, but we had only one mine and onr tanks were not much good. They couldn’t easily cross the country on account of the shell holes, and three of them were knocked out by gunfire. I am afraid they hardly justify their cost. “The infantry and artillery won the fight, and nothing else had much to do with it. DIFFICULTIES OF COMMANDERS. “ These battles are a great- strain on one, as once the infantry gain their final objective and begin to consolidate, the Hun shells them severely, with the result that all our communications get cat, and our forward observation officers who go up with the infantry caniiot Cofrimuhicate with us. Yon can imagine oue controlling some 200 gnns from a central place. As s on as the infantry captured Messines and got beyond it, \%e couldn’t see them. The Hun counterattacks, but- if the telephone wires are cut, as they nearly alwfiys are, by liiS shelling, there is no quick means of' communication by which our field observation officers can tell us exactly wheie to shoot We have to shoot by map. The barrages aresometimes most complicated, as the new line is very seldom "straight, and yet you must cover it all the Way. One mistake, and you may wipe out a lot of your own men. AFTER THE BATTLE. “When I walked over the battlefield, shells were still falling. Of course you kiiow the artillery fire never ceases day or night for days, and a battle only mentis it barrage thrdivn in as afi extrri. The country. wan.all ploughed up by shells. Hardly a Square yard Was left intact. Dead men were lying all over the place, and the .Huns were being extracted from their dug-puts. Our tanks were lying about where they had been struck or had been shot out, and exhausted soldiers were resting. In one place I saw one of our men and a German lying side by side, Having apparently killed each other. Germans were being taken to the rear to be put in cages. They mostly looked well fed and of good physique, notwithstanding what the war correspondents say. • GENERAL RUSSELL’S RECKLESSNESS. “General Russet!, our G.0.C., is reckless to a degfree. .UjJ by Messiries, the day after tlie battle, which iiieaiis only a cessation of maxim fire, arid net of artillery, ail officer came running to hie and said. ‘The G.d.C., ist Infantry Brigade, has been killed.’ This was true. He was walking With Russell, the latter’s A.D.C., aiid Pridliam, oftke Royal Engineers, .When a shell burst near them and killed Brown, wounding Beethairi, the A D.G., at the same time. On Sunday last, when Russell was looking oyer a parapet at the end of a wire distant about too yards or less, a sniper Had a shot at him, putting, a bullet through his steel helmet, and bruising his head—a pretty close call. However, I think he will be better in future. I have had five officers killed, one, curiously enough, by lightning. He was a very excellent fellpw who came away with the Main Body, Brtunmer by name, a veterinary' officer. The saffie flash paralysed seven men.. BroWH is a great loss. Brave as a lion, he never said much, but did a great deal.” [