COVERED WITH GLORY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1621, 7 October 1916, Page 3

COVERED WITH GLORY.

SPLENDID TRENCH WORK OF NEW ZEALANDERS. The correspondent of The Times at British headquarters on the western front, writing on Saturday, said: “Last week’s grand attack resulted in the salients at Flers, Courcelette, and Martinpuich, and in the spaces between, which were sagging here and there, being cleared out. This week the enemy is desperately striving to protect our advance, and is ceaselessly counter-attacking, especially at the most exposed point at Flers, which the New Zealanders held. The New Zealanders not only maintained but gained fresh ground on the left, materially helping the general operations. The New Zealanders’ initial advance was steady and methodical. Starting at (3.20 o’clock in the morning, they occupied the first main trench within an hour. The second trench, 500 yards distant, which was the main German third line left of Flers, was carried before 11 o’clock. They reached advanced positions beyond the village 800 yards further on, shortly after noon. “The first formidable counter-at-tack was made at 4 o’clock in the afternoon. Four German battalions were launched from the sunken ground parallel with the left of the front. They were beaten off. Next day the men from Wellington pushed on, and Hung the enemy from the trench from which he had attacked the previous evening. They held the trench against successive counterattacks. From the evening of the 15th to the evening of the 21st a most desperate fight raged. There were almost continuous attacks and counter-attacks with very stubborn bombing and bayonet fighting, in which the troops from Otago, Canterbury, and Wellington covered themselves with glory. “A captain of the Canterburys repeatedly led his men into attacks under conditions of the greatest imaginable peril. Each time he emerged unscathed. The whole story is magnificent. The New Zealanders held a most advanced position. Their left Hank was exposed, and the enemy hurled against them all the strength he could muster, only to find the. line immovable, and to recoil with heavy losses. Meanwhile the enemy repeatedly attacked the English troops on the left, who,though temporarily forced back, came on again and splendidly recaptured the position. “Meanwhile the New Zealanders made gains which are spoken of as valuable to the general situation, especially a very strong position consisting of two trenches at right angles across the German third main line, half-way towards Eaucourt I’Abbaye, the obliteration of which greatly assisted the troops on the left, who then advanced on a. mile front, clearing out the space between Flers and Martinpuich, gaining an almost even front north of the latter to a line 500 yards north of Flers. The joint operation was not of small magnitude, and it solidifies, the new line. The New Zealanders’ gains, while not crucial, are on the last edge of the plateau in that direction, and the desperate German attempts to retake them prove their importance. The enemy resorted to the old trick of showing the white flag and then firing. One cheerful deta'tl is of a New Zealand sergeant bringing four officers in

captives, so to speak, off his own bow and spear.”

Reuter’s correspondent at British

headquarters on the western front

extols the eourageousness of the ' New Zealanders during the six days battle which began on September 15th. He says that they earned out three assaults over varying distances within six hours, advancing 3,000 yards from the original line. Later in the day they repelled two furious counter-attacks. Subsequently fresh New Zealanders continued to gain ground, notwithstanding the heavy shelling and the shocking weather. Great counter-attacks twice led to the ground changing hands, but the New Zealanders eventually were the masters of the hotly-contested spot. About 350 of (he enemy were . killed in one trench alone.