THE NEW ZEALANDERS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 28 August 1917, Page 6

THE NEW ZEALANDERS.

TRIBUTE FROM GEN. RUSSELL. WELLINGON August 24. Major-General RusseD has written to the Minister of Defence: The Messines Eidgc, on that part which the New Zealanders had to attack, is a fairly steep ridge on which the Germans were very comfortably entrenched, with excellent observations of e v ‘ erything that was going on in our lines below* him The who?e scheme of attack had been a matter of very careful thought, and th e battle was won through the weight of metal thrown on to the enemy position and the mottle of our men who advanced to the attack Then everything went like clockwork. The men got over the parapet with .hardly any losses, and so excellent was the counter batterj J work that his barrage when it fell was too thin to break up the attack. The actual positions were carried at very slight gxpense. Our losses began to mount up after we reached our different objectives. I oannot speak too highly of the spirit, displayed by every one. We have again received congratulations on all hands for the work done -by the Division and I honestly think they w'ere well deserved. I am glad to say that the health of the men and their spirits are as good as when I last wrote to you. The reinforcements are as good as ever, and there is not a Division in France but would welcome them into its ranks. IN TEE ARRAS BATTLE. TOURTH BRIGADE’S BAPTISM OF FIRE. The following interesting extracts •with regard to the work of the New Zealanders on the Western front were “ received by the Minist e r of Defence from a letter, dated June 16, from General. Godley: — The Tunnelling Company did very \vvell in the Arras battle, and gained great kudos. Of thp other New Zetland units, besides the divisions, our Army Field Artillery Brigade was also under my command, and did very well: and I am glad so say the 4th Brigade also‘arrived just in time* for the battle. ’ It was most nsefuJ in carrying parties and doing road work, etc., during the , first few days; and I then put it into "a dgfensive bit of the line, from which it has advanced a littlp and taken some German trenches. A patrol from it did a very good piece of work last night, crossing a pontoon over the river Lys, penetrating into a village, and bringing back some prisoners. Altogether the brigade has excellently undergone its baptism of fire

, (The new brigade, formed out of the supplementary reinforcements.) I am sorry to say that Colonel Flet■cher, commanding the 3rd Battalion of tie Wellington Eegimcnt, is badly wounded, but I hope he may be all light. Colon e l Allen is, lam glad to say, almost convalescent. I also managed to get the New Zealand Stationary Hospital up near here before the battle, so that it looked after many of our wounded from the division etc. The squadron of Otago Mounted Eifles of my Corps Cavalry also did well, and was responsible for the German statement that BVitijsh cavalry had crossed the ridge, had charged and had been rgpuSsed with great slaughter, few of them getting back. This was quite true, as it was only a few patrols of the Otago Mounted Eifles which caused such a commotion. They galloped a sniper 's post, helped towards capturing a couple - of guns, and brought back some useful information. Altogether, I am glfid to sa-y, there were a good many Ngw Zealand units hesides the division engaged in the battle, and I am able to give you a good account of them all. Since I last wrote to you we have a good dpal more fighting and I have advanced the front of my Corps an average distance of about a milfe on a front of about four miles. , Z\luch of this was done, and done well, by the division.