NEW ZEALANDERS' DAY.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 October 1917, Page 6

NEW ZEALANDERS' DAY.

THEIR SHARE IN THE GREAT BATTLE. DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THEIR DOINGS. (From Captain Malcolm Ross, Official Correspondent with the Ntew land Forceß). October 3. After a spell out of the line, the New Zealanders this morning again found themselves engaged in a strenuous battle In Flanders. In this new battle the New Zealanders' objective embraced positions on the heights that looked menacingly down upon the ground already gallantly won by the British troops in the recent battle. Beyond the ridges, a portion of which was won to-day, the enemy has no other ridge to fall back upon, for the great plain of Flanders stretches away for many miles, would make for him an unpleasant wintering'ground. A part of to-day's battlefield is the hig. toric ground lost in April, 1015, when French and Canadian troops were met with the choking agony of the first wave of poison gas It has fallen to) the British, New Zealand, and Austratroops to win hack that ground, strongly fortified though it is with reinforced concrete gun emplacements and pill-boxes. The beautiful weather that prevailed up till now was broken with a nightfs rain, succeeded by a misty drizzle and high wind. The New Zealanders attacked at dawn. Previously there had been a lot of irregular shelling by our artillery, and some practice barrages; but the night preceding attack was comparatively quiet. This morning, at 6 o'clock, the 18-pounders, sixty-pounders, and 4.5-inch howitzers opened with a tremendous barrage upon the German positions, while the heavier guns still further back rained shell far afield. The scene viewed from a forward position afforded 'a thrilling spectacle, the flame from the guns immediately behind, the flashes of the 18-pounders ahead, and the bursting shells of all these in the barrage lines. in the misty half-dawn making a most striking battle picture. It was further illuminated by the flaming ammunition dumps and pyrotechnic "5.0.5." display from the German lines. CAPTURE OF OBJECTIVES. The first objective was promptly taken by the Wellington, Auckland, and Canterbury men. There was a halt of over an hour on this line, after which the attack was continued by Auckland, Wellington, and Otago troops to the final objective. The officers and other ranks fought as usual with the greatest gallantry, and gained their objectives with, out a check. It is too early to say what will be the ultimate result. When I left the battlefield there were signs of counter-attacks, but these it was hoped to smash, though the dull and misty weather was favorable to troops massing for counter-attacks. TIB enemy s shelling was in plaee3 severe, but not to be compared with the British. It is too early yet to speak of the casualties, but undoubtedly heavy loss was inflicted oir'tne enemy and a large number of prisoners were taken by the New Zealanders. These were mostly very young, some of them boys of seventeen and eighteen. Sturdier ones may come later, when the shock battalions get to work in the counter-attacks. Notwithstanding the stormy weather, our aeroplanes did magnificent work. The visibility was so poor that they had to fly unusually low. The weather continues gloomy," with slight rain and half a gale.

NEW ZEALANDERS HOLD THEIR GAINS, f October 5. In yesterday's battle the New Zealanders not only gained all their objectives, but have held their gains. During the afternoon and night—a night of storm and cold, drizzling rain—some feeble attempts at counter-attacks were easily repulsed, and, with remarkable promptness our men dug in all along the front and support lines. The battlefield is strewn with many German dead, and the division has had its biggest haul of over one thousand prisoners. This battle, if not open warfare, was at least warfare in the open, for there was scarcely a trench or a coinmunicatijanl trench anywhere, and the troops, guns, and supplies went over open tracks and roads. The field artillery moved boldly up in broad daylight. Our brigade, which attacked on the right, fought with the dash and gallantry that have more than justified its formation. The brigadier, whom I saw on the battlefield this morning, was .delighted with his men's success, while the men themselves are in the highest spirits. All they wanted was an issue of rum to celebrate their victory. These troops were the first to reach Berlina farm, which was a strong point just beyond the crest of Gravenstafel Ridge. WILLING SURRENDER OP GERMAN SOLDIERS. The Otago men in their keenness went on ahead of their time to secure a lot of prisoners from dug-outs and'ruins of Gravenstafel 'Village. One company took more than its own strength in prisoners.

All tiie farms along the line of attack were held in force by the enemy, but when our troops got to close grips! with them they showed little fight, and a large number put their hands up. The men of this brigade were so keen to re-i main in advaneo that they didn't send ■escVrts back with their prisoners, but let flie German officers take them down. Van Muelen Farm, which offered a strong resistance, was taken by the Otagos and Wellingtons. Here a very gallant young officer was killed. Our troops went over Abraham Heights with little difficulty, hut beyond that hot machine-gun fire was encountered at -'Berlin" from concrete strongholds. The position was bombarded with light trenail mortars, and then rushed, many prisoners being taken there. In Berlin Wood, beyond, the Germans put up a fight, but our men also rushed this position killed several of the enemy, and captured the others. At Waterloo, on tire left, there was a German battalion headquarters, and the New Zealanders, their work accomplished, sat out in the open smoking the German cigars and drinkino- the German soda-water they had* found there.

At one stage of the advance a. bodv of seventy-five prisoners marched in in'column of'fours, with a German nffr.er at their head. When they were first seen on tin: skyline our men thought thev' must be enemy troops marching t-n the attack, but soon found the? were

coming in as "kamerads." Later, as they inarched down the duck-board walk, the officer in command gave "Eyes right!" in passing our brigadier, and the salute was executed with due German military precision. Sixty per cent, of the prisoners were sent back from the front without escort. There were some amusing incidents. One German was so scared that he marched all the way with his hands half up, and whenever he met a New Zealand soldier he promptly put them right up. There were two battalion commanders and one major amongst the prisoners. We have not yet had time to glean the details of the work of the other brigade, but aparently it was equally successful, though it met with severe fire at more than one point. During the battle a padre was killed by a shell. He had been helping the wounded at an advanced dressing station, and had come out to get a breath of fresh air. when the shell burst beside him.

This morning the battlefield present' ed a wonderful scene of movement.

The morning was fins, but at 11 o'clock the field was swept by a shower of driving rain. Some difficulty was experienced in getting up the heavy artillery, but gradually all difficulties are being overcome. Our guns were still pounding the enemy, but his reply was somewhat feeble.

NEW ZEALAND CONGRATULATED. Belgium, October 8.

Our men have every reason to re« joiee at their victory on the Gravenstafel Ridge. More detailed accounts confirm the original opinion that they dealt the enemy a smashing blow on this part of the battleground. Yesterday afternoon prisoners were still coming in, while our stretcher-bearers, tired as they were, wound up the day by carrying in many German wounded. The division is already receiving congratulations upon its latest feat of anns and upon the large haul of prisoners obtained. All over the battlefield there 'are many German dead. They can be seen in dug-outs and shell-holes, singly and in clusters, up to twenty.

ENEMY'S ORGANISATION THROWN OUT OF GEAR.

The enemy was quite demoralised by the terribly destructive fire of our barrage, which struck him in waves. The intensity of the attack and the completeness of its success seems, at least for the time being, to have thrown his organisation out of gear even far beyond his front line. This morning I saw the men who attacked on the left. All were tired and sleepy after their strenuous exertions, but cheerful and elated at their success. They met with considerable opposition, mostly machine-gun fire at various strong points in ruined farms on their line of advance, but one after another of these garrisons were killed or forced to surrender, and hauls of prisoners were made from concrete dugouts and emplacements. As with those on the right, so here on the left flank the enemy lost heart in the fight the moment our men got at close grips with him.

During the advance a German officer who had been made prisoner threw a bomb into a dug-out in which his own men were sheltering, clausing several

.casualties. GOOD WORK BY MEDICAL SER. VICE.

The medical service was excellently organised, and the stretcher-bearers and runners worked with tireless energy and magnificent bravery. The divisional staff worked day and night, and nothing that could possibly be done to ensure complete success was left undone.

TWO NEW ZEALAND M.P.'s IN ACTION.

Two members of the New Zealand Parliament, who are serving on this front as junior officers, took part in the battle, going forward with their men.