THE NEW ZEALAND ENGINEERS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 52, 7 February 1916, Page 2

THE NEW ZEALAND ENGINEERS.

SPLENDID WORK UNDER FIRE. MILES OF SAPS, TRENCHES, AND TUNNELS. A V.C. AND OTHER HONORS. (From Malcolm lies':, Official War Correspondent with flic N.Z. Forces.) General Headquarters, 23rd Nov. From time to time, In various articles that have heen written ahont till' lighting on the Gallipoli Peninsula, reference lias heen made to the assistance that has been given to the forces in the field by the engineers. English, Australians, and New Zealanders alike have done splendid work; hut it is not too milch to say that the work of the New Zealand Engineers has heen as excellent and as important as any accomplished in the campaign. An account of what they have done—ami are still doing—is worth putting on record in some detail. The New Zealand Engineers consist of No, I and 2 .Field Companies, a field troop, and a signal company. No. 1 Company landed on the memorable ,2oth of April, when the troops, having established a footing on the heights of Anr.ae, had to dig in hastily. This company was sent out as soon as possible to help the men to consolidate the positions gained—to connect up bits of trenches, to make communication trenches, and to improve the trendies themselves. This they did on Walker’s Ridge, Pope's, Quinn’s, and Courtney’s, by the third day. 'They did it under heavy fire, and during the first month of the fighting that company of 100 officers and men had no Fewer than fit) casualties. They were also engaged in making roads and tracks, and in sinking wells. The Field Troop came with the Mounted Infantry, on 10th May, and commenced work on Russell’s lop. They put the whole of that position into a satisfactory condition-, and extended it forwards by sapping. No. 2 Company landed on 3rd June, ami vent into Quinn’s Post, which by that iinc had got into a very unsatisfac:ory state, it having been bombed and chMled by the Turks until the position had become almost untenable. ITiore they did magnificent work, olCen being right out in the front line without any infantry to help or protect them. Gradually they retrieved the whole of the front trench, and made it habitable again. That was u really fine piece of work, which needed some training and skill. When they took on the job there was one hit of the salient, where it curved round—known as “The Racecourse”— that could not he occupied at all. They continued their operations at Quinn’s Post for two months. The mining operations were chiefly at Quinn’s, and in time the place became a human warren. They had, of course, a lot of assistance from skilled coal and gold miners.; but the general direction of operations and the firing of the charges was entirely an Engineer’s job. The whole front was gradually protected by mines, and underground warfare went on for three months continuously,. It is still going on today—seven months from the date ol the landing! In all, thirty-three counter mines were exploded, .the Turks not only being kept off, but pushed back along the whole front, which, according to the books, is an impossibility. Protective systems have also been put out at Pope’s, Courtney’s, and Russell’s Top. On the latter posittion there is a good deal of mining and counter-mining. Over and over again I have wandered through these positions, above ground and underground, and the more one sees ol them the more one marvels at the skill, the patience, the enterprise, and the bard work of our splendid soldiers to whose lot this difficult and dangerous task lias fallen. These journeyings are somewhat dangerous, for though you are safe from rifle tire, you never know when a shell or a bomb may come along, or when an enemy mine may send you hurtling into the air. in places you can hear the tap-tapping of the Turkish picks on the other side of a tinn wall of clay, only a lew feet above or below or in front of you. Rut it is a fascinating position, and one is drawn thither again and again. Vet, while we have done so much to strengthen onr position and to damage that of the enemy by onr many explosions, the Turk—excellent digger though he is—has exploded only four mines at Quinn's, and only one of these has been effective. There have been times when the picks have*met underground, and when, by the flickering light of a solitary candle, the miners have fired at one another, through a little hole, with revolvers, The. Turks with theii one successful mine bagged three oi onr men; but that was really before we started our system. On occasions we have broken into the enemy’s mines, and have had encounters underground with bombs. There was one Turk who used to come at us again and again. You could hear him in the deathly silence of onr own mine tapping a wav indust riously like a woodpecker iu a hollow tree. Eventual y we got the woodpecker. His indnstiy deserved a better fate. The Turks, as a whole, were very much afraid of our miners, and, according to the talcs of prisoners whom we took, their men could only oe got t 0 s tav at the job by a promise that thev would be rewarded by being made corporals. One prisoner tod us that be knew of twenty men killed, and several wounded. NERYE-R ACTs iNG WORK. The officer in charge ol tire work at Quinn’s, and who carried it out with extraordinary skill, is an Englishman ~nd a trained engineer—2nd Incut. ‘ tllo Bon. R. P- Butler, who has been more than once mentioned in despatches. The work undertaken was not

only of ;i nerve-racking character, but it was also accompanied by crave dangers not only from tin* mine explosions, but also from the effects of gas. The explosive wo generally employ is considered safe, while it is supposed to be especially suitable for war-min-ing operations, in that its explosion does not develop poisonous gases. Once, after exploding a mine, two officers and a private proceeded to examine the result, when another explosion, presumably a Turkish mine detonated by our own, took place. One ollicer was overcome by the fumes, and the other was also affected by the gas. The private went to the rescue, and undoubtedly saved the life of the lirst officer< for lie managed to drag him out hy Ids revolver lanyard, which was round his neck. He was nearly strangled hy the cord, but be subsequently recovered. Hath officers bad lost the use of their legs, as if they were drunk with liquor.

BUILDING JETTIES UNDER EIRE

One job that fell to the Now Zealand Engineers was the making of piers at An/.ac. This was very demoralising work, for not only were they in danger from dropping bullets, but they were all the time under lire from Turkish shrapnel and high explosive shell lire. On more than one occasion, ( while watching these operations, I have seen men killed and wounded. The Turkish batteries would open on the beach, and there would have to he a temporary cessation of work. Hut always the men went hack to their job, and, needless to say, the pier was completed in spite ol the efforts of the Turkish, or German gunners. The Engineers also did a lot of useful work in connection with the laying of water pipe-lines and the installation of engines for pumping from the water barges up to the tanks on shore. Nearly a mile of piping was put out along the beach north amt south. / i THE SIGNAL COM LA NY.

.Meanwhile the Signal Company had carried out its job extremely weil. They maintained almost ((instant communication through to every post. The lines had to he put out through the scrub-covered hills and dales, and across positions that were constantly sniped and often swept by heavy lire from the enemy’s batteries and machine guns. Time after time the wires were cut by bullets, by shrapnel, and the bursting of ordinary and high explosive shell, and time after time the men, with devoted heroism, went out and mended the breaks; On such expeditions each man took his life in his hands. J have already told the story of how one signaller gained his \ .C. for gallantry and devotion to duty in this work—-not only in doing the work itself under extreme difficulty and danger but also in rescuing wounded under lire, lint that is only one ol the many tales of devotion and heroism that might be told. Necessarily there were a good many casualties in connection with this difficult undertaking, for the linesmen—especially in view of the superior positions hold by the enemy- bad to go in very exposed places, and were almost continuously. under lire. Throughout the whole of these operations the sappers got very little rest. They were always on duty, and a Pt'cat deal of their work was night work of a nerveracking kind. Some of their most trying jobs were the construction of entanglements in front of our trenches. That was always night work, and naturally \\aresponsible lor a considerable nunibei of the casualties. All the men, however, rose to the occasion, and although they had not had a lengthy training, they brought a high degree of intelligence to bear upon whatever they took in hand, and were able to direct working parties even whan all their officers in the vicinity wore knocked out. They could even tell the infantry officer what to do—the best manner of digging bis treneb, bow his parapet should he, etc.

WATKH IN AN AKiD LAND

In tlio August advance the Field Companies and the Field Troop were allotted to various columns, and their Chid job was to sink wells and to search for water in every possible Place. During the first few days ol the operations there was a water lam- | imp and there is no doubt that, Imt j jor the splendid work they did then, backed up by the Q Department ami the mule transport, the operations up the Aghyl Dere would have been in danger of breaking down. At one since the success of the major operation resolved itself into a question oi 1 'water. These operations-they earned ‘ out while the advai.ee was going on, during some very hot lighting. One Cf two of the wells were dug un(|(M. I,'cavv hre. The Turkish snipers, ! ai rio spotted them at their work. Only' few yards away on one oeeasion I ! watched*a sniper getting in some exl eel lent praeliee on three men who were well-digging on the Hat, One ol the men ran for cover under an ad-

jacent knoll ; the. others jumped into their own well and hoisted a sheet ot corrugated iron as a screen. Into this the Turkish sniper put more than one bullet.

In the lirst week of this fighting the brave Engineers suffered 10 casualties. As soon as positions wen* taken. t!io Engineers wont forward and helpod to consolidate them, as they had done hol’oro, improving hastily-dug trom , hos < opening up ooimnunio.it'ion trenches, and making, tracks, up , the water-worn gullies’ add .stoop hill slopes, so that undo trains could carry up food, water, and amiUm ition, and the stretcher-bearers bring down the wounded with greater easy. When the infantry and, thei ’mount •(!.> finally took up their stand on the Apex: and Rhododendron Spur, the Engl neers found themselves con flouted with a . situation that it was 'very difficult to plan or d > am thing with. It was exposed from the front and on both Hanks. The I rent trench was only two feet deep. On the spur along the right Hank there wn no protection at all. The two sections had to he joined tip. When the Vov Zealanders wore on the crest el Chunuk Hair the Engineers had started a communication trench, hut that had to he abandoned when the Lhitish company had to retire from the front position in which they had relieved the New Zealanders. By dint of great ingenuity and much hard wor!:, both the apex and the spur were made secure, and the posts are daily being improved, though the Turks right end loft, and in front on the heights above, practically dominate the position. STIRRING EPISODES. During the lirst wonderful bayonetting rush on the night ot the Cth- tli August, in which the Mounted Brigade so distinguished itselt, tin 1 Engineers with the Maoris assisting, had to pull away the barbed wire entanglements that went right across the Cliailak Dere. They took with them grappling irons, fixed them to the stakes and wires, and under hot lire pulled tiie entanglements down, si*that our troops, could speedily nro. eed on their conquering march up the valley. Ot many episodes that •occurred, I shall mention only two. On one occasion two ol the sappers went out at night from Quinn’s Host, and, with a gun-cotton charge, demolished a Turkish ldoekhon.se. Tins action was not only a gallant one, but, it was most carefully carried out with the utmost precaution. They were out for 35 minutes, groping about in the darkness. Eor tiun plucky act these men Hodges and Hear —were awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. Ihe other episode is out' that is probably unique in war. During the fighting in August two sappers were told off to a brigade to assist in trench work. After three weeks of splendid service, when the time came for them to go elsewhere,. they received an ovation, the men loudly cheering them as they departed from the trenches. One of th(> chief functions of th» Engineers in this campaign has been in setting an example to the iniantry in work which the hitler were able to pick up, and themselves tarry on suecesjsi nilly a liter a time.- their example has been of very great value to the division. The result is that either brigade can now do for themselves in the advanced line things in which at the beginning, they certainly needed an impulse to attain. That they were able so soon to do these tilings is undoubtedly in a large measure due to the initiative and the high standard of; intelligence possessed by the colonial troops. Needless to say. the Engineers received the greatest assistance both from the coal and the gold miners ol New Zealand and ol Australia. 'I In* work which these men have done, and are still doing, must for ever redound to their credit. One ran wander lor days in and out among the maze of saps and trenches that have been dug in the An/.ac /one. They run in thousands of zigzagging Z’s and bonding S’s, across gully and ridge, and along the crest of hills, where in places the edge is all too narrow. If you multiply the lino i of front by four you will probably got I,nil idea of the length of digging that Ims been done. There must be well over sixteen miles ol saps and trenches.

it is worthy pf mention that in the Xow Zealand and Australian Division (here is a water diviner —himself a practical engineer—whoso services in this capacity have been of great value. In the various companies of the Engineers there is a'great ileal ol talent, some of the men having real training as engineers, and even degrees. Amongst the sappers there are several extremely brainy and useful men. Altogether, the record of the New Zealand Engineers in this campaign

is one of which the Dominion Inis every reason to ho proud. For distinguished iarvioes and gallantry they have ali;idv .rained one Victoria Cross, one D. 5.0., and seven D.C.M.’s.