WAR RECORD

Hokitika Guardian, 4 May 1921, Page 4

WAR RECORD

The Canterbury Regiment

(Lyttelton Times.)

Tlie Province of Canterbury lies under a debt of gratitude to Captain David Ferguson, M.C., for compiling the volume which has just been issued from the press dealing with the history of the j Canterbury Regiment of the New Zea- j land Expeditionary Force. The book ; has been written so the author says in his preface, primarily for the members of the Regiment, and there is therefore no pretence of giving a vivid picture of tlie fighting, or of describing the da tiers and hardships of war. It is a severely practical chronicle, packed close from cover to cover of its 364 pages with facts, names, dates arid other exact information. Those who followed the Regiment through its trials an tribulations, its desperate ordeals and glorious victories, will be able to fill in these severe outlines with colour, while the-provincial historian ol future times will find the colume a treasure house of facts concerning the part whit.» the men of Canterbury played in the greatest of all wars.

The Canterbury Regiment saw the war through. In 1914 it was in Egypt where it helped to repel attacks on the Suez Canal. In 1915 it was on Gallipoli. In 1916 it received its first taste of trench warfare at Annentieres. In 1917 it took part in the great battle of the Somme and of Messines, and paid its full share of the toll levied on the bloody field of Passchendaele. In the same year it fought in the famous Polygon Wood sector, and took part in the attack on Polderhoek Chateau. It helped to oppose the great German olfensive in the early part of 1918; it aided in the temporary British success at Bapamne; penetrated the last ol the Hindenburg lines at Cambrai, followed up the fighting at 'Le Gateau, and the Selle was ‘‘in at the death" in the Battle of the Sombre, marched into Germany after the Armistice, and wound up its war record with garrison duty at Cologne. Thus in the short space of four years this colonial regiment saw service in four countries, took part in two great campaigns, and gained the right to inscribe upon its colours the names of more great engagements than the average British Regiment, before the war, could amass in fifty years. In lour years ol fighting it lost through death 309 officers and 78b.

other ranks, and its members gained 1 one Victoria Cross (won by Sergeant Nicholas, whose portrait appropriately serves as frontispiece to the volume under review), one C. 8., four C.M.G., nine D. 5.0., three 0.8. E., two M.8.E., 54 Military Crosses (two with bars), Distinguished Conduct Medals, 2-12- Military Medals (three with bars), 31 Meritorious Service . Medals, and many 10-1 1 reign decorations. Over ninety members of the Regiment wore mentioned in dispatches. It is a record which 'should send a thrill of pride through ' every good citizen of the province, and i which should stimulate interest in the ‘ record, plain and unvarnished though it • may he, which Captain Ferguson has 'compiled. It may be added that the ; hook is copiously illustrated with piioto- ■ graphs and maps; that it contains full lists of honours and casualties and that it bears evidence on every page of scru- ■ pttlotts care in compilation. j A final reminder is given of the ReI turned soldiers ball in the Drill Hall i to-night. Capital arrangements tufve been made for the annual fixture.