NEW ZEALANDERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17280, 22 September 1916, Page 4

NEW ZEALANDERS.

PART IN SOMME BATTLE. - , '$ HELPED TO TAKE FLERS. • ' * - ' *> ■ . -4 . AUCKLANDERS LEAD THE ATTACK. (Special from: the .New Zealand Official , • War Correspondent.) September 15.' I have returned tp the Somme battlefield, and for a week past have been, privileged to witness - preparations "for the momentous battle just commenced. During the preliminary bombardment our guns must have thrown at least twelve million shells on the enemy’s lines and positions. After dawn to-day t]be attack commenced on a grand scale. Tho cannonade wa» terrific, and the spectacle was more wonderful ewn than that of the July bombardment Every hollow and slope held batteries of our flashing guns, and in a few the front for'miles was one‘.continuous lino of clouds,, in which one saw the flashings of innumerable shells. On the left the Germans fired shells that burst in a rain of red sparks and sent long - pillars of -light*grey. smoke skyward. These bent serpentine, and, 'gradually descending, to tne earth, formed a hank of fog that crept gradually across our , terrain. - In that locality in half an hour the whole battiefrqnt of battered ’ f woods, villages and rolling downs was ‘ enveloped in an ever-spreading cloud of , ashen grey, out of which came our planes, still holdinjg the mastery of the air and dropping messages as to how tho tide of battle was .going. ' . THE TANKS. '■/. • ' With this dawn the Boche saw for the first time, approaching across his trenches, our newest and most wondrous war invention. Slowly,, creeping like Saurians jacroes the deep trenches and shell] craters as if they aid not exist;, they were monsters that spat fire and load, and yet turned the enemy’s lead from their own -hard skins. . The. sight of them must have been a night- % mare to the first Boche that saw them. At the'time of dispatching this message from the battlefield all is going well. .v' : .

' NEW ZEALANDERS ADVANCE. September 16. The New Zealanders who have 1 the honour■’■of being'in the new phase'of the Somme advance, fought hard and successfully . all yesterday, capturing , several lines of German trenches. and pushing on right behind Flers .village, which they assisted an English division in taking and holding during the night. , Leaving their assembly trench m the early morning stages, the Aucklanders _ went over the parapet and took the first weakly-held German trenches. iu their stride. Then,* pushing on behind, a creeping barrage, they went on gallantly through the German shrapnel, high explosive and machine-gun fire, and captured the Switch trench. Some Germans cam® running towards them, holding up “their hands and calling * ‘ Kamerad,’ ’ afad others fled downaill. Some used the white flag, pretending to surrender, and then shot- Needless to say, few of these had the luck to le taken prisoners.' This trench taken, . the Rifle Brigade passed over it and they advanced close behind a further creeping barrage The leading waves assailed and took a treuqh, a thousand yards beyond Switch, treifch. Here one of the armoured laud-crushers cad. good work. In one place it charged, through the uncut German ★ire. ENTERING FLERS. . All this time theißifie Briggs was •.... moving steadily"'onward, and.the lead-,,-., ing waves found two lines of trenches', and a f long communication trench. These trenches they also' took. . ©ue . armoured car charged, slowly right .no. -y the village in front of tho cheering infantry, a scene unparalleled m 1 tue W We got beyond this objective,- but as there were some gaps in Tile line our mien' had to ;be brought back distance. They dug in. A threaft.ued Gorman counter-attack was beaten bade by our artillery, while others were prevented, largely by the same means. All night the Brigade brayqly held on, and even occupied a'bit of ground be- , vond our own area-on the right. * At* the mohient of writing our supports, which have come np, are taking part in. the further advance. Ihe chances of further success seem satisfactory. •' • - ‘ ' ' "