BAPTISM OF FIRE.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 February 1916, Page 7

BAPTISM OF FIRE.

RIFLE BRIGADE IN ACTION. THE CHRISTMAS DAY FIGHT. Auckland, Feb. 5. An account nf the first engagement between a British force and the Senussi on Christmas Day has been received from Rifleman G. L. MeKinstry, First Battalion New Zealand Rifle Brigade. For the battalion, this action was its baptism of flro. Rifleman MeKinstry says that the battalion moved from its camp at Heliopolis on December IS, and arrived :'n Alexandria in the early hours of the following morning. Next day the battalion made a route march through the city, but no leave was granted. That afternoon they embarked on an old Egyptian gunboat, and arrived at the "Western Frontier of Egypt", at daylight on December 21. "I thought the' last Christmas Day, which I spent in Samoa, was bad enough," he says, "but 1 shall never forget this one as long as I livp. "We received our baptism of fire on Christmas Day. We marched out of camp at five o'clock to meet the enemy. The first shot was fired at 0.30 a.m., anil the fight lasted till five o'clock at night. The enemy opened fire on us as eoon as we came" within range. They had only fine big gun, and it was very soon put out of action by our artillery. They were also bombarded from the sea by ft warship, and after a while we advanced under cover of our artillery. We very soon got within range of their rifles, and then they were driven back for rolJes, and finally rounded lip in a -iilly. By 1-He time we " a<l flnis,le(l .there' were very few of tljenj left to tell the tale. "We were in some very warm comers, and had some very narrow escapes. The enemy used all kinds of rifles and ammunition. We arrived back at bivouac about pight o'clock, but it was too cold to sleep, bo we had to walk about until four o'clock, when we started to inarch back to camp. Everybody was dead beat, and it took us about three and a half hours to walk back the six; miles to mump" , Rifleman JfcKinstry mentions (that the battajipn was camped on the beach, and ike men yveve aMe to have plenty of swimming,