WAR LANDMARK

Hokitika Guardian, 10 September 1932, Page 6

WAR LANDMARK

CAPTURE OF HAPLINOOURT,

New zeiAllndiEß’s

Th© 14th anniversary of the capture of.. jHup/lincount by, the New -Zeaitijiu l Division ’ during the great advance bs the British Armies in 1918, has jim passed. The immediate operations which he, suited in the capture of Haphncoiirt, commenced on September 1, lalS, when the enemy was back on a line of prepared positions which, it appeals, he proposed to |hold firn:fy wh-ilta with-, drawing gradually and deliberately to. the fiindenburg Line. .by th.sdate, as. -result .of of the Scar-pe, the positions he proposed to hold were turned from the north, so that his withdrawals had to be spoede.;; U P- . ... . ~. < '•

THIRD ARMY’S ADVANCE. Since August. 21 th e .. Third Army hud been continuously engaged in th.Rattle of Bapaume,. and . was now cooperating:'with the armies on its flailks by' maintaining; a constant pressure on the retiring enemy. In accordance with this policy, objective; for Septem ; ber 2 were, tiYotteid; \yithm ; four/ cqrp. t 0 42rid Division, Vil!c-r-au.pios • to sth Division, Delsaux Farm,; and to the New Zealand Division, the bro T d bare crest betw<e:ri those places. . -

During the evening of September 1. the 2nd Brigade took,; Oyer the. who!, * front of 'the New 'tfealarid Givisio'n with the 2nd Battalion, Otago Regi-i ment, and the Ist Battaikoii Canterbury l Regiment, forward on the right and, left respectively. The attack commeqc-l td at 5.15 next morning. Working 'ir~ close touch with the sth Division, th° Canterbury left flank reached its oh ' jective without , 'tliffidu'fcy. ' The right however, /was (held by ifnaghine-gu.’. posts, ■ and the guns of the two d-'&abV enehiy tanks which lay in a suriken road to' the front. The right battalion also struck trouble. The enemy aVa-r found in some'strength within ohr barrage, and by the time these posts had been dealt'with, the barrage was lost, and the battalion cow'd make no Headway against the . fire of the machine -uns about the Hapl neburt Road. • - barrage UP."

On the right the 42rid Division cleared ViFers-au-Fkw quickly, and in con--.equence was bbl € to. return td the

ew Zealand Division two brigades o r artillery allotted to them for that oeratioii. This artillery w?e tried to thicken up the barrage under cover o' which the Otago battai'.iPn ■resumed' 'be attack at 1 p.m. Considerable -ress was made, The battalion Teach-' ng a sunken road only a /short ‘ distance' ... ... .. • l "ft, >f• from, its objective. About noon the Ist Battalion., C o n terbury Regiment, beat off a weak counter'; attack" which deve'bped' tagaiirt it,, and then again commenced the ftruggi'e''against the Tanks’ 'pri; "its ' right -front."s)v%Jualtyf about '<s!*’’-arttl-■°ry support was arranged, -under cov-p-----if which Corporal “Putnam managed, to work hig eectidrl round a flank an): dispose' of the ' flank guTi's. . 'The' 1 remainder 'of th'e" post" then surrendered'. Taking’ advantage '-of enemy’s ' pve--occupation with this "attack, the 2nd ’"attalidn, lOtago Regiment I ,'' 1 ' again advanced,’ ’ arid by. nightfall the 2nd Brigade was everyivhbre Established in front of it" obiectlvfe. -j

' During the night’the passive atti'tiid--■f tho enemy and absence of the usriw signs* of activity rEsulttbii * in' patrpjr; being pushed'' fbrivaAd. Eiariy 1 next corning these patrols 'enter'd 'HajjVn•oirrt. dn ‘ consequerice the 'advaiice.Avals ’•"•-umed.' arid by 7 ; a.iiri., "Sepfeiribgr 3 ’he division was' east" of fTap/meoiiri -ioving in rapid pursuit'' of"the eneiriy. and actually working with cavalry, “-.atrols c r ' T ’"- ,, ’-' nr -t.c'jf’-bbt.