NEW ZEALANDERS AT FLERS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1614, 23 September 1916, Page 3

NEW ZEALANDERS AT FLERS.

THE ATTACK WITH THE

“TANKS.”

REPORT FROM CAPTAIN MAL-

COLM ROSS

The folloAving special despatch has been received from the Ncav Zealand Official War Correspondent (Captain Malcolm Boss), dated 15th September; — “For a Aveek past I Jun e been privileged to Avitness the preparations for the momentous battle which has just commenced. During the preliminary bombardment our guns must have throAvn at least tAvelve million shells on the enemy's lines and positions. Soon after dawn today the attack commenced on the grand smile. The cannonade Avas a terrific' spectacle, more Avondcrful even than the July bombardment. I'Acry holloAV and slope held batteries of our Hashing guns. In a feAv minutes the front for miles avus one continuous line of clouds, in Avhich one suav the Hashings 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 up to the sky. These bent like serpents, and gradually spread across our terrain in (hat locality. In half an hour the Avhole battlefront of battered avoocls and villages and rolling dcnvns avus enveloped in an ever-spreading cloud of ashen-grey, out of which came our ’planes, still holding the mastery of the air, and dropping messages as to lioav the tide of battle avus going.

“With th is dawn the Boche suav for the first time approaching across his trenches our newest and most Avondrous Avar invention, sloavly creeping like some Saurian across deep trenches and shell craters, as if they did not exist. They were monsters that spat fire and lead, yet turned the enemy’s lead from their oavu hard skins. The sight of them must have been a nightmare to the first. Bodies that saAv them. At the time of despatching this message from the battlefield all is going avcll.” TAKING GERMAN TRENCHES.

September Kith,

‘-Th<‘ Now Zealanders, who have Iho honour of. being in 1 his now phase of the Somme advance, fought hard and successfully all yesterday, capturing several lines of German trenches, and pushing' on rigid, behind the village of Elers, which (hoy assisted an English division in taking and holding during the night. “Leaving their assembly trench in the early morning, the Otagos and Auckland* went over the parapet, and took the first weakly held German trenches in 1 heir stride; Hum, pushing on behind a creeping barrage, they went gallantly through shrapnel, high explosive, and mach-ine-gun lire, and captured the switch trench. Some Germans came running towards them, holding up their hands, and calling ‘Kainerad!’ Others (led downhill. Some used a white Hag, pretending to surrender, and then shot. Needless to say, few of these had the luck to be taken prisoner. When this trench was taken the Kitlc Brigade passed over it, and they advanced close behind -the creeping, ban-age. The leading waves assailed and took a trench one thousand yards long beyond the switch Irench. Mere one of the armoured land cruisers did good work. In one place it charged through uncut German wire. “All this time the Hide Brigade was moving steadily onward, and the leading waves found two lines of trenches and a long communication trench. These trenches they also took. One armoured car charged slowly right into the village in front of the cheering infantry—a scene unparalleled in the war. We got beyond this objective, but as there were some gaps in the line, the men had to be brought back a. short distance. They dug in mi the line of a threatened German coun-ter-attack, which was beaten back by our artillery. Other attacks were in-evented largely by the same means. At night the brigade bravely held all it had won, and even occupied a bit of ground beyond its own area, on the right. At the moment of writing, our supports, which have come up,, are taking part in a further advance. The chances of further success seem satisfactory.”