NEW ZEALAND'S SHARE

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 22 June 1917, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND'S SHARE

FEW WOUNDS SERIOUS. TRIBUTE TO TUNNELLERS. LONDON, June 11. A New Zealand officer who took part in Thursday's victorious attack on the Messines Ridge said: — "The British artillery co-operated so perfectly with all our troops that I am satisfied our losses were infinitesimal. ! Three out of four of our wounded are able to walk. ,We got off cheaply." An Australian officer says that, although he knew that it was going to he a long day, he could not sleep the night before owing to the terrific din. He had a curiosity regarding the giant mines, knowing that there had been nothing on such a scale previously. He was proud to know that the Australian tunnellers, under Professor David, of the Sydney University, and New Zealand tunnellers shared in the great work. An Adelaide officer declares that the. men were "just great." They came on in utter disregard of the heavy shell bursts. Not a man "ducked" or turned his head. Little bodies steadily plodded forward in single file round the lips of vast shell-holes. He had never seen such broken ground; hardy a square foot was untouched. Everywhere were holes 6ft to 12ft deep. It was heavy uphill work, but the boys "stuck it" out. The casualties were greater during the last part of the operations. After they had passed the village the Germans, in addition to "big stuff," showered shra'pnel on the New Zealanders who did not flinch, although, after they had reached their objective, they had to lie still and hold the line under a terrible shell fire until the Australians came through them. A wounded British sodier says that the explosion which destroyed the hillside of the Messines Ridge was tremendous, and that the sight was terrific. The sky was' filled with flames and smoke and flying debris. Everything was shattered; the German trenches were torn to pieces, and the men in them killed and buried. When he entered he saw no one alive, but there were heaps of dead halfburied in masses of rubbish. Many of the prisoners were mere boys of 16 years. They were dreadfully scared. "We shifted Fritz right enough," said the wounded man.