RAIDING THE GERMAN TRENCHES.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 September 1916, Page 7

RAIDING THE GERMAN TRENCHES.

NEW ZEALANDERS IN ACTIOS. VALOROUS DEEDS IX NO MAX'S LAND. (From Captain Malcolm Ross, War Cor respondent with N.Z. Forces).

Northern France, July 18. While the whole Army and the people of England are being thrilled with file glorious deeds of our soldiers in the great battles beyond the Somme, it must not be forgotten that along other parts of the- long line other of our armies are still worthily upholding the honor of the Empire. ..These men, for the moment, are not in the limelight. None the less, they are daiiy, and nightly, killing and wduading Germans, and, themselves, in turn, being killed and wounded in the cause we have all espoused. In comparison with the resounding clash of arms on the Somme our battle orchestra is perhaps playing in a minor key, yet its cadences play a part—an important part—in the grand symphony. Artillery raids are the order of the day; raids and counter-raids the order of the night. And in these ventures a great purpose is being served, and deeds of stirring heroism are being performed —deeds that now pass almost as commonplace, but which, in ordinary times, would make the pulses beat a little faster to the thrill that they engendered. Recently, during an enemy attack on a salient that we hold, the New Zealanders fought with a self - sacrificing .heroism worthy of their best traditions. During raids, successful and \insuccessful, they have fought with tlash and gallantry that, at times, has risen to tho superb. Australians, Canadians and ot'her British troops beyond the sound of tho guns on the Somme have equally well played their parts with fortitude and heroism.

Raiding has become almost a science, and, with conditions as they are, there must be a good deal of give-and-take about it. It is perhaps sufficient for our purposes that the honors have been largely on our side. There is every indication that they will continue to be so. A GREAT FIGHT.

During a recent German raid an enemy party came into contact with a party of our men at the apex of a salient, and there were signs that though our men were overwhelmed they put up a great fight. A few may have been taken prisoner. One was reported wounded, and one body was found next morning. The raid began soon after midnight 'by the enemy putting a semi-circular barrage on oiir supports after a steady bombardment lasting about two hours. Our machine-gun sections concerned are said to have done fine work. At one period of t'he bombardment two of* our signal offices were blown out and four signallers were killed, but communication was .plucJcily maintained by runners. The whole of our machine-gun tc;im became casualties, and were buried with their gun by a shell explosion, but the "un was dug out and got into action again. Several of the enemy must have been killed bv our retaliatory arlillery fire. One howitzer battery, which had another zone of lire, was pulled out into the open and tired 75 rounds on to the enemy's front line. The raiders'did not remain long in our trendies, and we captured one wounded Saxon. An Auckland battalion had repaired tire damage to our trenches by daylight. Not long after this adventure a party from a battalion of the TiifU Brigade carried out a successful raid on the German trenches. Excellent work was done by our artillery, trench mortars and machine-guns. Five minutes after midnight the party had succeeded in entering the German first-line trench, and ten minutes later the whole party 'had successfully withdrawn. At 12.25 a.m. (with the exception of the left bombing section) they had got back into our own trenches. This section took cover in a shell crater from the enemy in "No Man's Land," and .withdrew at 1 a.m. No prisoners were taken, owing to the faot that t'he enemy trenches had been obliterated by our. lire, and all the enemy remaining in the section attacked were killed. The (lead found in the German trench were very much scattered. It is certain that, the enemy's casualties must have been heavy. The remains of several dead were seen, and many others must have been buried by the explosions of our shells. Our casualties were extraordinarily light, MANY BRAVE DEEDS,

An. Otago party were not so fortunate with their raid, as they were met by enfilading fire from machine-guns, and also shrapnel and high-explosive shells. Though all the officers and several of the n.e.o.'s had the misfortune (o be hit quite early in the operations, the men seem to have met the situation bravely, and, assisting their wounded comrades, to have will :lrawn without panic. Many, after they 'had themselves safely returned, went l:r:dc over the parapet to the assistance of wounded comrades. A captain who was wounded quite early, though not seriously, refused to go on a stretcher while any of his men required attention, and was subsequently killed in ''No Man's Land." When daylight came, the body of this gallant officer was located near our own parapet and was brought in under cover of the darkness on the following night. Many gallant deeds were done. Two lieutenants, though they did not belong to the raiding party, went bravely out over the parapet under heavy machine-gun fire to assist in binding up tlie' wounded, and one was himself badly wounded. Two privates and a sergeant, after safely reaching our trenches, went out again and again under heavy machine-gun lire to bring in wounded. This they did in spite of the fact that they had been through a two hours' heavy -bombard-1 nient. One man, when his lieutenant was wounded, tried to shelter him with his own body. There was another .private .mho was under a suspended sentence of five years' penal servitude who was seen by the trench officers boldly standing up under fire and lifting wounded men over the parapet. It almost goes without saying that his sentence was remitted next day. When the left flanking patrol was in difficulties and the subaltern in charge bad ly wounded, a lieutenant went bravely over the parapet to their assistance, and, though seventeen were casualties, brought thorn 'back to the '.vencli. The splendid bravery and coolness of the officers and men made amends for the illluck attendant upon this operation.