DESPERATE CONFLICTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 November 1916, Page 6

DESPERATE CONFLICTS.

WEEK OF HARD FIGHTING. STUBBORN DEFENCE BROKEN* EVERY GOAL ATTAINED. The New Zealand troops won fresh laurels in the recent fighting, the Morning Post correspondent wrote on September 23. Their part in the offensive west of Klers involved a particularly trying effort; not only did they make a brilliant first advance which yielded possession of the enemy's trenches, but subsequent enemy counter-attacks engaged them in a series of desperate conflicts with the beaten German battalions. In the opening phase of the offensive on September 15 the New Zealandcrs pushed northward to the Flers Road through the German third line, arriving at a designated halting place by 11 aim. They took the first position unaided by "tanks," but when they continued forward from Flers Road to the next enemy position assigned to them, the "tanks" 1 were of great benefit as an advance guard, driving through the enemy barrage and breaking down machine-gun positions beyond.

The entire German front was by this time on the look-out for "tanks"—a general alarm had gone out that these engines were to be "spotted" and bombarded by heavy artillery as quickly as posibsle. Despite the watchfulness .of the enemy, the "tanks" with the Nov Zealand contingent appeared to succeed in escaping the observation of hostile airmen. A German field battery in action only ] 500 yds away was equally ignorant .of their presence, and before tlie gunners were aware of their proximity British shells had silenced their guns. Thi.>> accomplished the New Zenland men pushed on. the Rifles reaching their goal at noon. Their final task was to swing around to the left, roughly ; n tlie direction of Martinpuich. but as the infantry on the left had not been able to get forward so far, the New Zealandcrs, on swerving to the, new position, found that their flank was unprotected, and tfiat they were severely enfiladed by the enemy's fire. They coolly swung back again, and prepared to "sit tight."

ALL NIGHT BOMBARDMENT. Throughout the remainder of Friday (September 15) they held this exposed ground in the face of continuous shilling, while a determined enemy counterattack was launched against the troops on their left. A fresh German brigade advancing in seven waves was met by British battalions with their bayonets, and the hand-to-hand fighting which followed was as severe as any along the battle front. Eventually the enemy were thrown back in disorder. After a liarrassing all-night bombardment, the New Zealand troops prepared to attack sgain on .Saturday morning. Wellington men went forward gallantly to the>final objective, reaching it at ten o'clock', although news of their success was no-, received until nearly four hours later. They were cut off by the enemy barrage, and an aeroplane brought 'he first message announcing that they had got through. Saturday was an even more trving day than Friday. The New Zealand battalions could not keep touch with the troops adjoining them; German infantry pressed ttcm repeatedly; the shells were thicker around them. They kept digging; as well as fighting, and the enemy did not try to make an .ttack in force, realising that they would be enfiladed. Throughout Monday and Tuesday they still,clung to their improvised trenches. HAND-TO-HAND FIGHTING.

The climax of the fighting came on Wednesday, September 20, when l»» sorelv-tried New Zealand men engaged in. an all-night battle, finally beating off the enemy at dawn. They had to win back, foot by foot, ground suddenly wrested from them by a surprise manoeuvre; but they did it, and made a further advance as well. The Canterbury companies had attacked a trench beyond the left of the New Zealand position, which enabled them to form a junction- with troops on that flank, but the Bosche discerned a flaw in the joint, and managed to drivo a wedge into the line, forcing the New Zealanders back to their original position. Their next move forward considerably surprised the triumphant enemy. They crept up in silence, without artillery support, and fell on their enemies with bombs and bayonets. 1

The battle raged furiously through the night. Twice the New Zealanders were thrown out of the trench; twice they rallied and came back with redoubled ferocity. It was deadly, closequarter work. The tough, agile farmers and ranchmen were more than n match for their foes. , They fought with bombs, knives, revolvers—even with stones and fists. More -than one resisting Boche was born down into the tumbled earth and strangled asdie lay there. It was, in many respects, the best fight the Germans put up during this offensive. They had been ordered to retake the high ground at all costs, and, to give them their due, they did their best. But they failed in the end. At dawn [the survivors straggled back to the next German trench leaving 530 dead and 22 wounded prisoners in the hands of the New Zealanders—and the trench as well. They tried again on Thursday, Septembber 21, attacking in great strength,- supported by their guns. The New Zealand men, worn and nearly exhausted by days and nights of continual fighting, again prepared to beat tliein off. A cap tain who had repeatedly rallied them for bayonet charges on previous days brought them once more out of their trenches and led them across the open to meet the advancing enemy. The. latter could not withstand the shock; the German line wavered, paused irresolutely, then surged back again to its own trenches. The New Zealand battalions killed great numbers of the enemy in successive onslaughts.