BY NEW ZEALAND OFFICERS AND MEN

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9793, 17 October 1917, Page 5

BY NEW ZEALAND OFFICERS AND MEN

(From Captain Malcolm Boss, Official War Correspondent with the Now Zealand Forces.) October 14. The weather has been simply appalling. The battlefield is such a sea of mud and waterlogged shell-holes that the continued success of our last ..track was an utter impossibility. In. addition our men found themselves confronted with inacluno-guus m strong concrete.positions fronted with barbea wire uncut by artillery. Linder the circumstances w© had to be content witn a very email advance. Nevertheless we have accounted for many Hermans, and have taken some prisoners. The difficulties in transport and in getting .u the wounded have been great, but are being gradually overcome, and tno '..'Gather at last seems to have settled fine. The division mourns the loss of .overal bravo officers and men. Many deeds of great heroism were pertormea a this light, especially m connection with the rescue of the wc/undcd. The uiiiculties can bo imagined when it is stated that it takes six men six hours -o bring in one wouuuod man from tho front. In the attack on Gravonstafcl on the 4th, which was so successful, also .aanv heroic deeds can bo recorded such as will make the victory live in lus:jiy~ The manner in which officers and mon risked almost certain death and rounds in storming concrete machine-gun positions and’ either killing or rapturing their crews was worthy oi the best traditions of Che New Zea”'ud Forte. Many worked and fought till utterly exhausted. Others caried on after being wounded. One man, armed' only with a revolver, rushed i machine-gun position. His bravery led another man to follow him. Both • ero wounded, and the second man has since died; but their action enabled thors of their section to get up and the gun was captured and the crew ailed. A Wellington corporal sadly wounded lay upon tho ground and kept aging his men to attack till a post was captured and the machine-gun crew dUed° A Canterbury sergeant, badly wounded, was in command of his platoon aid continued directing and encouraging his mon until he become paralysed ind helpless. Throughout ho remained cheerful. An Auckland lieutenant, otino- as Adjutant of his battalion had his commanding officer and the actno- second in command 1 wounded shortly after the attack commenced. He ook command of tho battalion and reached its final objective, and though >nly one junior officer per company was left succeeded, m holding tho line ■nd rcpollhi" three, counter-attacks. An Auckland corporal just before reading his objective had his arm blown off. With splendid determination he reused assistance and ordered his mon to push on; and' by his coolness and courage steadied them at a trying period. These are only -a few of the many crave and daring deeds done in tins battle that will rebound to the credit of New Zealanders for all time. THROUGH SEAS OF MUD AND SHELL-BURSTS NEW ZEALANDERS AVENGE THE SNIPING OF STRETCHERBEARERS. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. Australian and New Zealand Cable Association. (Received October 16, 8 p.m.) LONDON, October 15. Tho Australian Press Association’s correspondent at British Headquarters artillery reports: —“Both sides are most active in the bog areas behind the linos. It is inspiring to seo New Zealand and Australian artillerymen with held guns urging their splendid horses through a sea of mud despite shelluursts. The poor beasts are sometimes caught in a bog. Shooting them is tho only solution. .... “The Anzacs are doing wonders in getting up food and ammunition in view of tho possibility of counter-attacks. The stretcher-bearers worked manfully throughout the' night. At one time it was necessaiy to call tor volunteers to man the stretchers. Several New Zealanders wore, thus wounded, owing to German snipers. The New Zealanders were intensely indignant wnen four of their colleagues were thus wounded at one point vwthm a few; minutes, and they initiated stem retaliatory measures which were speedily effective. By miuday practically all tho New Zealand and Australian wounded had been brought in.” . . , , Describing the Anzacs’ present position tho correspondent says:— the enemy still holds Bellevue at the south-western end, although the Now Zealanders are closing in on "Wolf Copse, which marks their maximum advance. The Now Zealanders are still in great fighting trim, impatient because the appalling weather has compelled them to halt before all the final objectives had been taken.” ANZACS ON PASSCHENDAELE RIDGE AUSTRALIANS SADLY DEPLETED IN NUMBERS. Australian and Now Zealand Gable Association. LONDON, October 15. Mr Keith Murdoch, Australian war correspondent, writing from Headquarters on Saturday, says:—“ln drenching rain the Australian and New Zealand troops clung throughout the night and day to their poor linos of s^e^l had retired at dusk from the most foremost posts they had captured in yesterday’s offensive, and had' boon mercilessly fired at. by snipers and machine-gunners from 1 the spurs parallel to theirs, whilst batteries of field-guns, brought to within four hundred yards of their new positions, rained shrapnel upon them. . , “The new positions became untenable, and the men were gradually withdrawn. They brought in what wounded they could collect, but were now sadly depleted in numbers.” Mr Murdoch refers to the terribly sodden and muddy condition of the battlefield, which was so had that in a number of cases fatigued men fell into shell-holes, and 1 , being unable to rise, were smothered. A party of Germans advancing across a bog came under fire, and left thoir dead standing upright in the mud. . . via “My observations.” tho writer continues, “included tho marshy land under Bellvuo Spur, over which the New Zealanders valiantly advanced. To less heroic troops it would have been impossible. , „ “During the height of the battle the Brigadier, replying to a colonels plea for reinforcements, which were not available, sent the historic message: ‘Remember the story of Gallipoli !* ’* ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF ANZACS’ HEROISM Australian and New Zealand Cable Association. LONDON, October 15. Another correspondent, describing the Australians’ advance towards the village of Passohondaelo, said the men on the left came under strong machinegun fire from tho left flank. This is explained by tho fact that the New Zealanders had been held up by uncut wire and a nest of machine-guns and strong redoubts called Bellevue. The Germans wore thus able to direct an enfilading fire upon the Australians. “Wo pushed ahead, though many fell. Meanwhile the New Zealanders, with the utmost gallantry, and in despite of great sacrifices, retired to break a wav through tho Bollevue Spur defences, which on Tuesday had similarly hold "up British troops. . , . . “The New Zealanders gained a useful 300 yards, but their most gallant efforts though full of noble sacrifices, did not succeed. It is not unusual to meet uncut wire in such attacks. It was specially difficult to-day, because tho weather made rapid advance behind the barrage most difficult. This gave the Germans time to get out their machine-guns after tho barrage had passed.” ___________ SIR DOUGLAS HAIG’S REPORTS Australian and New Zealand Cable Association and Router. LONDON, October 15. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—Tho enemy during the night heavily bombarded our positions on tho main ridge south of Broodseinde. The South Midland Territorials made a successful raid last night north-east of Rocus. (Received October 16, 8 p.m.) LONDON, October 15. Sir Douglas Haig reports ; —Hostile raiders eastward of Shrewsbury Forest were repulsed. Hostile artillery is more active in tho neighbourhood of Lens and Nieuport. There is much aerial activity. Four German machines were brought down. SMASHING BLOWS TO CONTINUE Australian and New Zealand Cable Association. NEW YORK, October 13. Lord Nortbcliffo (British High Commissioner to the United States), in an interview, said that Sir Douglas Haig’s smashing blows will continue, no matter what the weather may bo. The Gormans will enjoy no rest during the Conditions were changed. Lord Nortbcliffo added, since General Joffre said that Franco needed men. France had now plenty of men to bold the line, but she wanted America to send a million tons ot munitions, which she needed badly. __ A GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT Admiralty—Per Wireless Press. LONDON, October 15. A German official report states: —Hie English penetrated our positions between the river Scarp© and thg Cambrai-Arras road, but counter-attacks drove them out.

OPERATIONS ON FRENCH LINES .MUCH ARTILLERY ACTIVITY REPORTED. Australian and Now Zealand Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, October 15. a French communique, states:—On the Aisne front reciprocal artillery firing is being continued in tho region oi the plateau between Allies and Ll ' tO on°iho right bank of the Alonso, there are violent artillery actions north aviators last night bombarded the region of Dunkirk. There were several civilian casualties. (Received October 16, 10 p.m.) LONDON, October 16. A French communique states that there is violent artillery bombardment the re(doii of the plateau Between Allies and Craonne.