TAKING OF MESSINES

Hokitika Guardian, 8 June 1929, Page 6

TAKING OF MESSINES

TWELFT H ANNI VERS ARY. Yesterday, June Btli was the twelflb anniversary of the Battle of Mossines, when the Second Army drove the German troops from the eastern wing of the Ypres Salient, making possible the launching of the attacks toward Passchendaole and the submarine bases at Ostcnd and Zoobrugge. The centre of the German position, the strongly fortified and garrisoned village of Messines, was taken by the New Zealand Division. The Messines and Wvtsehaete Ridge which dominated the Allied position at the Ypres Salient for two and a half years, was stormed and taken. The villages of Messines and Wvtsehaete were captured and other strongly organised woods and defended localities on a front of over nine miles. Australians , and New Zealanders captured Messines in an hour mul forty minutes. The Irishmen captured Wytseii’aete. and the English took Battle Wood, south of ZiUebeoke. The ..Rattle-was a triumph for the strategy mf Sir Douglas Haig; his plan of battle was carried, out almost to the letter and time-table and caught the Germans two days earlier tlpm they had expected. The attack was one of the most carefully prepared in the whole course of the war. Its opening was marked by a terrific bombardment and the explosion of a million pounds of high explosives in mining operations.

The victory resulted in the surrender of over 5000 prisoners.