THE SOMME BATTLEFIELD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1651, 16 December 1916, Page 4

THE SOMME BATTLEFIELD.

A description of the Somme battle field is given by Mr Malcolm Boss, official correspondent with the New Zealand forces. “In comparison with onr own land,” he writes, “it is a little difficult to give a New Zealander a clear idea of the country in which we have fought. There is nothing quite the same in all New Zealand. Some English writers have mentioned hills, and even peaks. There are no hills, as we would recognise a hill in New Zealand. And certainly, even with the most imaginative eye, you cannot find a peak. The country is gently undulating, with villages and small woods dotted about it. Although we are 60 miles from the sea, the highest ground in the region in which we have, been rises to only some 500 ft. After all one had read about gaining the high ground, one expected on reaching the crest of the ridge at High Wood to look down upon steep declevities, carrying the eye for many miles ‘ beyond the German lines. Nothing of the sort occurred. The land on the other side was as gently sloping almost as on the side up which we had walked. And the view'was limited. Beyond Flcrs the trees of Gueudecourt and Lesboeufs, only a few hundred yards away, cut the horizon line. Yet in such country this 500 ft. ridge gives us command of the observation and blinded, the enemy to all that was going on behind our lines on the reverse side of the slope. As we would define the term, the country is not well watered. There are no big rivers, no swift-running streams. The Somlne itself is a mere meandering stream compared with the tributaries of our New Zealand rivers. The > villages depend on wells for their water. - It was into such .country in the early morning of the memorable 15th of September that our men fought their way across the German lines.”