WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 June 1917, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

A WELL-ORDERED MOVEMENT NEW ZEALAN'DERS GIVEN PLACE OF HONOR. 1 .DETAILS OF THE ADVANCE. 1 Received June 12, 8.5k p.m. ' London, June 11. General Plmner has complimented all ranks on their soldierly conduct, resulting in the capture of the Messines ridge. Ho stated that the precision wherewith all orders were carried out enabled tho programme to be fulfilled to the last detail with minimum losses and wounded. Witnesses point out that only the complexity of the plans leading up to the battle allows an estimate of the part played by the Australians and New Zealanders, and discloses the brilliance . of their achievement. Although Mes- j sines will go down in history as the [ most gigantic artillery and engineerin'T ! victory, the mighty concussion woulJ have accomplished little unless the troops had followed up and taken possession of the desolated land. The New Zealanders have been given the most prominent mention because they were the first to enter Messines, but the Australians don't grudge them the honor. The Australians likewise had a definite part. They attacked and penetrated as far eastward as any of the troops. ' English regiments attacked the northern half of the salient, the Australians and New Zealanders being responsible for the southern half. The New Zealanders faced the ridge at the point of its greatest rise opposite Messines. Two distinct bodies of troops were engaged. The first, which has a long record of fighting ffi France, acted as support to the troops the New Zealanders, alsfc supporting the English upon the i\ew Zealanders' left. The other Australian body was given a complete' stunt, advancing unassisted on the southern end of the salient, upon the New Zealanders' right. These Australians, who had not long been in France, won their first laurels'. They attacked with a wonderful coolness, and advanced steadily under the heaviest shellfire. Officers are of opinion that the spectacular opening of the attack by huge mine bursts put the boys in good humor. The whole line moved forward in the highest spirits, the New Zealanders having seen Messines go skyward. The great explosions did not stop until they took the trench line eastward of the village, which was discovered to be a mass of bricks and broken walls, although some of the houses were still habitable, despite the ravages of the many bombardments and the final mining upheaval. A few nerve-shattered Germans crawled from the ruins and surrendered to the New Zealanders, who consolidated the .position and awaited the next stage of the operations. The second body of Australians, on their right, had already made good progress on the flatter ground. The afternoon's operations consisted of taking two of the main trench lines farther eastward. The Australian supporting troops advanced }n wonderful order up" the ridge through a lively barrage of heavy shells, and passed through ilemines. They reached the New Zealanders and passed them according to time-table. Then the Australians jumped off and carried out the attack allotted to them. ' The British guns continued to wreck the trenches which the Australians were approaching, with the result that the enemy failed to show fight. The attackers ionnd only a few occupants. The Australians hastily consolidated. The southern body of Australians in the meantime completed their advance, and the English troops to the northward also reached their objectives, and by nightfall the line had 'been straightened and secured. The casualties were great during the last part of the operations, after having passed the village. The Germane, in addition to big stuff, showered shrapnel on the New, Zealanders, who did not flinch, although after they reached their objectives they had still to hold the line under terrible shellfire, until the Australians came through. . Unlike Bullecourt, the casualties at Messines were phenomenally light, many being slightly wounded. THE MESSINES EXPLOSION. CRIES OF BURIED GERMANS. Reuter Service. Received June 12, 5.5 p.m. London, June 11. Describing the effects of the Messines explosion, Reuter's correspondent states it wrecked a hill, filled up marshes, ehanged a wood with a lake, changed the geography of two centuries, and transferred an enormous area into a cemetery. Hours after the attack, repeated dull sounds were heard in the earth below. In some cases Germans weje dug out half suffocated. Since then, along the whole ridge, soldiers have been listening between the crash of shells for the cries of frightened humanity from the underworld. I COMPLIMENTS PASS. London, June 11. Replying to Sir Thomas Mackenzie's message of congratulations, Sir Douglas . Haig has telegraphed a warm eulogy of the New Zealanders. He says: "The people of 'New Zealand have good cause to be proud of the recent achievements ; of their fine division. Attacking on a ■ front of 1500 yards, they crossed a most • difficult piece of country in the fate of i strong opposition, especially about the ■ village of Messines, and reached their ) objectives up to time. I cannot speak " too highly of the manner in which the • New Zealand division was commanded i and the gallant behaviour of all rankd. 1 Their splendid spirit fills me with adi miration and confidence." 1 London, June 11. A wireless German official message • states:—ln the dunes sector near t Nieuport and eastward of Ypres there I was an intense artillery action. We re- ■ pulsed English night attacks westward II of Hollebeke and Vambcke and against s the pottery westward of Warneton. ARRIVAL OF AMERICAN OFFICERS. i- Paris, Juno 11. i- The officers of General Pershing** staff have arf(v«d in Pari*.

FURTHER PROGRESS.

iSOUTH-EAST OF MESSINES,

Received Juiio 12, .11.15 p.m.

London, Juno 12. Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig reports: We continued to progress southeast of Mossines, and captured the enemy's trench system this morning in the neighborhood of La Potteiie farm, on a front of about a mile. During the day we gained further ground iu this area, and captured seven field guns and some prisoners. ! i SUCCESSFUL RAIDS. ] MESSINES LINE ADVANCER. * 1 A. and N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Reuter. j Received June 12, 5.5 p.m. ] London, June 11: ■Fiolrt-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig re- ( ports: Considerable reciprocal artillery- , ing has taken place southward of Ypres ] and eastward of Epehy, where we dis- , persed hostile assemblies. We success- , fuliy raided south-westward of La , Bassee, damaging trenches and mine gal- , lerios. We also raided eastward ofrVermellcs and southward of Armentieres, , We slightly advanced our line south- j ward of Messines. , A French communique states: There ( has been considerable reciprocal artil(crying north of the Somme and in the j region of Cerny. GERMAN INFANTRY FOOLED. j ■ i TO SAVE THE GUNS. j Received June 12, 6.50 p.m. ( Paris, June 11. \ The correspondent of L« Petit Parisien i at the British front states that the German commanders throughout knew that defeat was certain at Messines, their chief preoccupation being to save i the guns without alarming the infantry. The latter were fooled to the end. Ger- : man generals actually arranged a comedy , of false signals for the artillery, to which , there was no response, the guns really being hurried to the rear. This explains why it was necessary to separate the prisoners in cages, owing to the mutual accusations of treachery.