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Hokitika Guardian, 7 September 1917, Page 2

AVriting in the “Morning Rost a correspondent describing the battle of Messines asks: AA’hat of the enemy losses in this battle. He then proceeds to say that they were at least three times as many as ours. The mines undoubtedly inflicted many casualties, lie gives a single instance. The Canadians, who had mined Hill CO, had every reason to be proud of their work. After the explosion hnd taken place a German officer was found stunned a distance from tho mine. He was brought to the rear and gradually recovered. He told his rescuers that at the time of the explosion there were on tho hill two. field pioneer companies, as well as the ordinary garrison. A Grrmnn pioneer field company is about 2GO strong. The garrison probably was a battalion strong. AVo may therefore count the casualties in this mine about 1270—a1l killed. The fact that they were killed was confirmed by the officer who was taken to the prinonors’ cage in that sector and confessed that he could not see a single man of either of the pioneer companies. That the mines have had a tremendous moral effect upon the enemy is undoubted, for the German Pross is beginning to explain how unlikely it is that there will bo -a repetition. It is carefully pointed out that tho lie of the ground was particularly favourable to British mining operations, and stress is laid on the idea that tho “now British position has tho decided disadvantage that there can be now no further thought of mine explosions.” This may bo comforting for the people at home but the in the front linehavo had such a shaking that they imagine mines everywhere- Our splendid mining companies will no doubt see to it that they are not disappointed. ~