WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 13 June 1917, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

battle of messines, AUSTRALIANS AND NEW ZEALANDERS’ MAGNIFICENT ] WORK. STEADINESS UNDER TERRIFIC FIRE. LONDON, June 11. General Plumer complimented .all ranks on their soldierly conduct, resulting in the capture of Messines Ridge. The precision wherewith orders were carried out enabled the programme to be fulfilled to the last detail with the minimum of losses and wounded. Witnesses point out that only the complexity of the plans leading up to the battle allows of an estimate of the part played by the Australians and New Zealanders and discloses the brilliance of their achievements. Although Messines will be historic as the most gigantic artillery and engineering victory, the mighty concussions would have accomplished little unless the ■ troops had followed up, taking possession of the desolated land. The New Zealanders have been given most prominent mention because they wore the first to enter Messines. The Australians do not grudge them the honour. The Australians likewise had a definite part. They attacked and penetrated as fa,r to the eastward as any troops. Australian and New Zealanders were responsible for the southern half. The New Zealanders faced the ridge at the point of the greatest rise, op- ! posite Messines. Two distinct bodies of Australians were engaged. The first, which has a long record of fighting in France acted as support troops behind the New Zealanders, also supporting the English. Upon the New Zealapders’ left the other Australian body was given a complete stunt, advancing unassisted on the southern end of the salient upon the New Zealanders’ right. These Australians,*not long in France, won their laurels. They attacked with wonderful coolness and advanced steadily under very heavy shellfire. Officers are of the opinion that the spectacular opening of the attack by huge mine bursts put the boys in good humour. The whole line moved forward in the highest spirits. The New Zealanders, having seen Messines go skyward by the great explosion, did I not stop until they took the trench line eastward of the village, which was dis covered to be a mass of bricks and broken walls, although -some (houses

were still habitable despite the rav-

ages of many bombardments and the final mining upheaval. A few nerveshattered Germans crawled from the ruins and surrendered. The New Zcaalnders consolidated their position and waited the next stage of the operations. The second body of Australians on their right had already made good progress on the ground. The afternoon’s operations consisted of taking two main trench lines farther eastward. The Australian supporting troops advanced in wonderful order up the ridge through a lively barrage of heavy shells, passed through Messiiies, reached the New Zealanders and passed them according to time-table. Then the Australians Jumped off and carried the attack allotted to them. The British guns continued to wreck the trenches which the Australians were approaching. As a result the enemy failed to show fight. The attackers found few occupants. The Australians hastily consolidated. The southern body of Australians meantime completed the advance. The English troops to the northward also reached their objectives at nightfall. The line was straightened and secured. The casualties wqre greater during the last part of the operations after they passed the village. The Germans, in addition to big stuff, showered shrapnel,

but the New Zealanders did not flinch,

although after they reached their objectives they had to still hold the line under terrible shell-fire until the Australians came through. Unlike Bullccourt, the casualties were phenomenally light. Many were very slightly wounded.

BRITISH AGAIN ADVANCE.

LONDON, June 12.

Sir Douglas Haig reports.-—We continued to progress south-east of Mes-

sines,

We captured the enemy’s trench system this morning in the neighbourhood of La Potterie Farm on a front of about a mile. During the day we gained further ground in this area. We captuycd seven field guns and some prisoners.

BRITISH OFFICIAL REPORT

The High Commissioner reports: LONDON, June 12.

General Haig reports: Northward of Neuve Chapelle, during the night, we successfully raided the enemy, taking thirteen prisoners. Southward of Neuve Chapelle, eastward of Armentieres and northward of Ypres, hostile raiders were repulsed, a number of the enemy being killed and a :ew prisonered.

MESSINES EXPLOSION, /

LONDON, June 11.

Describing the effects of the Messinos explosion, Reuter’s headquarters correspondent, says that it wrecked a hill, filled up marshes, converted a wood into a lake, and changed the geography of two centuries. It transferred an enormous area into a cemetery. Hours after the attack repeated dull sounds were heard in the earth below the surface. In some cases Germans were dug out half suffocated. Since then along the whole ridge, soldiers are listening between the crash of shells for cries of frightened humanity from the underworld. PATROL OPERATIONS. SEVEN FIELD GUNS CAPTURED. Received 11.10.

LONDON, June 12

Correspondents at headquarters state that patrols are operating well to t-he eastward of the posiitons gained at the battle of Messines. We have beaten the German army, which is not yet reorganised. Patrols yesterday captured seven field-guns, whose cretvs bolted at the sight of the Britishers.

General Haig’s special army order congratuated General Plumer and the Second Army on>|heir success. He says nothing can save the enemy’s complete defeat; the Germans are brave and tenacious, but it is only a question of how much longer they can endure such blows. Our losses are gratifyingly light, considering tne magnitude of the battle.

ENEMY GETTING (TcRVV.

Received 11.30

LODNON, June 12

Headquarters’ correspQndents state the intermittent shelling east air' north-east of Ypres does not appear to indicate anything definite, but rather suggests jumpiness. Extraordinary activity prevails practically on the whole of the present battle front.