SPLENDID TRIBUTE.

Taihape Daily Times, 11 February 1919, Page 3

SPLENDID TRIBUTE.

TO NEW ZEALAND DIVISION. VALEDICTORY ORDER BY GENERAL HARPER. "UNSURPASSED RECORD." Deserving a special frame for itself, and a place on the walls of every barrack room, drill hall, and school in New Zealand, for all "time is the final divisional order issued at Headquarters in France on December 9. 1918, on the occasion of the departure of the New Zealand Division from the Fourth Army Corps, of which it formed part. The order is .as follows: VALEDICTORY. The following letter of farewell from Lieutenant-General Sir G. H. Harper, K.C.B. D. 5.0., commanding the Fourth Army Corps, is published for general information:— "As the New Zealand Division is leaving the Fourth Corps I desire to place on record my appreciation of the valuable services they ftiave rendered and to thank all ranks for the magnificent Sighting 'qualitiesthey have invariably displayed. "The Division joined the Fourth Corps at a critical time on March 26, 1918, when it completely checked the enemy's .advance at Beaumont Hamel and Colineamps, and thus closed 'the gap between the Fourth and Fifth VJoz-ps. .By a (brilliant stroke it drove the enemy from the commanding -ground at La 'SigntyFarm, and gained observation over the enemy's lines, which greatly assisted in his defeat on April 5, 1918 when he made his last; and final effort to break our front. Throughuot the summer the Division held portions of the corps front with but a short interval for rest. During this period I never had the least anxiety about the security of this portion of the front; on the other hand, by carefully conceived and well-executed raids, the enemy was given little respite and identifications were procured whenever required. In this connection I deplore the loss of that ' brave man, Sergeant Travis. VIC.

"It was the ascendancy gained by this Division over the enemy "that compelled him to evaluate the ground round Rossignol Wood. "At the commencement of the great attack on August 21, 1918, only a minor part was allotted to the Division but subsequently on the night of August 24, the Division was ordered to attack, and swept the enemy from Grevillers. Loupart Wood, and Biefvillers, and gained the outskirts of Bapaume. Stubborn fighting w.as experienced around Bapaume, but eventually the enemy were overcome and pushed back to the east. "From August. 24 fill September 14 the Division was constantly engaged and drove the enemy back from B'apaume to the high ground /west of Gouzeaucourt, where very heavy fighting occurred at African Trench. After a short period of rest the Division was put in again on September 29 to complete the capture of Welsh Ridge, and to gain the crossings over the Canal de l'Estcatu. A night advance over difficult country, intersected by the trenches and wire of the Hindenburg Line, was brilliantly carried out and entirely successful, and resulted in the capture of over 1000 prisoners and over 40 guns. On October 1 the Division captured, Crevecoeur against strong opposition and held it in spite of heavy shelling and several counterattacks throughout the subsequent days until the great attack on October 8, when the Division broke through the northern" portion of the strongly organised Masnieres line, ; and penetrated far into the enemy's I line at Esnes and Haueourt.

"Going out to rest on October 12, tli'.; Division was again in the line on October 23, and drove the enemyback from the outskirts of Eomeries to tLe Quesnoy. Finally, on November 4, the Division by an attack which did much to decide the finish of the war, forced the surrender of the fortress of Le Quesnoy, and drove the enemy back through the forest of Mormal. the* total captures by the Fourth Corps on that day amounting to 3500 prisoners and some 70 guns "During the period the New Zealand Division has been in the Fourth Corps, th'C3 r have captured from the enemy 28 officers and 8745 other ranks, 145 guns. 141 machine-guns and 3 tanks, besides much other material.

"The continuous successes enumerated above constitute a record of. which the Division may well be proud. It is a record of which I m-ay .safely say has been unsurpassed in the final scries of attacks which led to the enoniy's suing for peace. "In conclusion, I wish to thank you and your staff for the willing support which you have invariably given, ancT the helpfulness shown in all circumstances.

"I send every man of the Division my heartfelt good wishes for the future."