NEW ZEALANDERS' BAYONET WORK

Nelson Evening Mail, 26 September 1916, Page 5

NEW ZEALANDERS' BAYONET WORK

A FRIGHTFUL ENCOT"TNTER.Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDOrr: Sept. 24. Mr Oibbs says the first Jine of the New Zealanders went forward with hardly a check to the. German switch trenches. 500 yards distant. They were men of the Auckland. Canterbury, Otago. and Auckland battalions. They put their trust in the bayonet, and they had their desire, for the Germans in the switch trenches defended themselves to the last- gasp, only.four being left alive-after a frightful encounter. It was a fight to the death. The New Zealanders lost heavily from shrapnel and machine gun. fire, and their ranks were thinned when thev faced the stretch of 800 yards leading to the next trenches. The New Zealand Rifles covered- the ground quickly in open order, but keepin ing touch with each other with a fine esprit de corps which is better than discipline. The German trenches were deeply dug and heavily wired ,and proved a great obstacle. A GERMAN COMMUNIQUE. (Published i» The Times.'' LONDON, Sept. 24. A German communique says that on the Sommo fighting is again in full swing. Allied attacks afc Courcelette, R-ancourfc and Bouchavesnes failed. The Germans claim to have brought down. 24 aeroplanes, twenty of them on ,the Somme. They admit the loss of nine. GERMAN! ATTACK REPULSED. BRITISH MINE ACTIVITY. iAustralian and N.Z. Cable Association.: (Rec iSept. 26, noon.) LONDON, Sept. 25. Srr Douglas ,Haig reports-:—The Germans attackted' eastward of Courcelette, but -were repulsed. Our mines northward of Neuve Chap ell e and northward of Hullnch did much damage to enemy's works. We raided trenches at several points. AIRCRAFT ACTIVITY. (Ilea Sept. 25, noon.) LONDON, Sept. 25. A French communique states: —We repulsed a German attack eastward of the Vaux-Chapitre road. There is intense artillery activity in. the Thiaumont sector. German aircraft bomibed Luneville. I _ We bombed the village and railvvav staftion at Guipaid. Thionville. Roihbach, and the railway station at Audunleroman.