NEW ZEALANDERS' PART.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 October 1917, Page 5

NEW ZEALANDERS' PART.

KEEN TO MEET THE ENEMY. London. Oct. 5. Mr, Giimoitr writes tnat he saw the New Zcalandors going up to the front, they being greatly relieved that they had not been overlooked. Their greatest anxictv had been lest the show might lie over before they were given a chance. They were in great form, having been resting since Messines. They were never keener to meet the enemy. The New Zcalandors' closely co-operated with the Australians in the same difficult terrain as previous assaults. The Anzaca were chosen for a push slightly north of the front they occupied at the commencement of the offensive, and hail i advance across slightly rising ground to secure a ridge north of Polygon Wood, which was the highest point. It was necessary to obtain complete command of the whole of the Passchaendaele Ridge, otherwise the British line would be subjected to constant menace. Sir Douglas Haig, by this third rapid assault on the same wide front, lias wrenched from the enemy the wholo of the high ground. It has been proved that nothing the enemy can do is able to stem our advance behind this terrible artillery barrage. The Germans' only hope lies in counter-attacks, anil in these they inevitably suffer heavily under our bombardment the moment the troops begin ma.ising preparatory to an advan.ee. The Anzacs will be delighted at finding themselves in a position to look down on the ground where storm shells are bursting over every vestige of German defence. A GREAT SLAUGHTER, FIVE GERMAN DIVISIONS INVOLVED

VOLCANOES OF EARTH AND FIRE. London, Oct. 5. Mr. Gibbs writes:—Although the German barrage fell ifpon our men before they leapt to the assault it happened terribly for the enemy that our men were not stopped, but went through the zone of German shells without disorder.

They, swept over the German assault troops, annihilating them and'crushing their plan of attack. Those German troops did not attack; their defence even was broken. As our lines of fire crept forward they reached and broke the second ani third waves of men who were intended for the attack and caught those who were in the support and in the reserve positions. We can only guess what a slaughter it has been, It was a slaughter in which five German divisions were involved.

The battle was being prepared for on a big scale as soon as the last was fought and won. Tommies, Chinese and colored men were engaged in the feverish work of piling up mountains of ammunition to feed the guns. Thousands of shells new from the English factories were unloaded on the waste ground of the old battlefield near Ypres ready for the greedy guns. The Pioneers continued repairing the roads and laying the tracks of railways with" astounding unconcern. Mr. Philip Gibbs writes that the German barrage was the beginning of his new plan, which failed because of the great courage of our troops and because tne German infantry attacked an hour too late. If the atiaclv had occurred two hours earlier it might have led to our undoing, and might have prevented anything like a real victory. Fortune was on our side and the wheel turned round to crush the enemy. The main force of the German attack was the Fourth Guards Division. Two others were ready to assault the centre of our battlcfront at Polygon Wood and down from Broodseinde cross-roads, but we fought the German assault divisions at Broodseinde .cross-roads, making prisoners of man; before they had time to advance. Viewed from the westward, the .whole scene from Passchendaele Ridge and Hill 40, westward to Zonnebeke, and the line from the crest to Polygon Wood, was veiled in smoke and mist, through which tin ridge loomed darkly. But one clearly saw the white and yellow cloudbursts of our shellfire and the flame of shellbursts. Great as were the bombardments at the Sonnne, Vimy, Arras, and Messines in frightfulness, they were not comparable to this, the most terrible .vitnessed in the whole course of the war. The entire Pe'sehendaele Crest was like a series of volcanoes, belching forth pillars of earth and fire.

. A MOST SLASHING DEFEAT,

SIX GERMAN BATTALIONS WIPED OUT. BAT>T.v PLANNED COUNTERATTACKS. Eecoived Oct. 7, 5.5 p.m. London, Oct. 0. Mr. Gibbs says that the men from the new front; tell grim tales, indicating that the Germans suffered the most slashing defeat we have yet inflicted. In one. section, near Poelcapelle, six German battalions in the front line were either killed or taken prisoner. The New Zealanders and the English admit that Fritz often showed pluck w,hile he had a dog's chance, but many ran when the attackers got close. Confusion prevailed behind the German lines, probably as the result of our attack meeting their's. Counter-attacks, also badly planned, caused further disaster. The Germans advanced in straggling fashion, and many wandered in aimless groups until shot down.

VALUABLE AIRCRAFT WORK. London, Oct. 5. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Our attack over an eight miles' front, from southward of Tower Hamlets to the Yprcs> Stadcn railway northward of Langcmarck, was completely successful, «ini! all our objectives were gained. Positions of great importance were won and over 3000 prisoners have already been counted.

We are now in possession of the main ridge to a point 1000 yards northward of Broodseinde. The weather, after promising to be favorable, became less settled, and strong westerly winds with the force of a gale and rainstorms throughout the battle r.ddcd to the difficulties of the advance and of the airmen's work. Nevertheless the aircraft did valuable work, and af- ! forded useful information of the posij tions of our troops and the assembly of I the enemy for counter-attack*.