THE BELLEVUE FIGHT.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 November 1917, Page 2

THE BELLEVUE FIGHT.

UOW OUR MEN WERE WUNti UP. IMPREGNABLE POSITIONS VALIANTLY ATTACKED. War Correspondents' Headquarters, October l'O. Since Friday comparative quietness has enveloped the battlefield, cables Mr. Keith Murdoch. Rifle fire has become sporadic and is gradually diminishing as the new positions are made secure, and the targets are, as a consequence, scarcer. The Hun, is licking ihis wounds, and is not attempting to counter-attack. Even the artillery seems to bo quieter, though the thunderous spellings of roads, positions and concentrations by each side continues. We have our heavy guns playing upon Passchendaele and Bellevue Spur. It has been a bright, drying day, and the sky is so -clear that the Bodies' aight flyers are now out bombing. I spent a day with a large section of those Australasian forces engaged on Friday. Their wonderful physical fitness and spirits brought them through the most trying experiences unaffected. All Bay tliat it was the roughest time in their soldiering, but claim that the mud and swamps would not have kept (hem from their final objective if the Bellevue Spur on their left had been covered. Their approach marches during the days before th|i battle were a triumph of organisation. They passed often in the darkness over miles of tracks obscurely made through waterlogged shellholes, but though the Boche pelted the ridge with gas-shells, Hugh explosives, shrapnel and every kind of murderous device, some of the units and battalions arrived at the jumping-off place without casualties. At least one battalion began Its advance without *a casualty, though for ten minutes before the "Iwp over" the BocJie (put down a heavy barrage along our line.

HALF MILE THJROUG'H SLUSH, Immediately the first wave went forward heavy machine gun fire was opened. For the first 800 yards the going was exceedingly difficult, mostly through slush knee-deep. The gallant men floundered, forward, meeting only a few Boches. , As the light increased they picked out the pill-boxes and enemy strong posts, and Rtormed them. The withering fire from Beljevue Spur continued. Our ranks out. Part of our left was working up the valley in. which the swollen Kevebeke Creek separated thorn from Bellevuc. It received the fullest force Df the machine gun fire. The overflowing creek made great pools of Water, and the men continually engaged pulling others from the morass. It was observed that Bellevuc Spur had been made a strong fortress. It was deeply wired, and the large central redoubt was held by at least four machine guns and inany snipers. Beneath it was a smaller redoubt, whilst 500 yards behind, stood five strong pill-boxes on high ground named Graf Farm, whence machine guns, firmly installed, continuously directed their fire against the Australasians, Two, parties of Victorian troops crossed the river wading to their necks". They subdued two neighboring pill-boxes, killing the inmates, A third pill-box, deeper into the New Zealanders' territory, proved unreachable. A gallant officer was killed here. Meanwhile large numbers of Victorian and New South Wales troops continued to advance, swerving slightly south from the creek, but gaining their objectives 100 and I'OOO yards deep, when it became obvious that a further advance would be useless until Bellevue Squr was cleared. Upon this spur the New Zealanders, despite the most gallant efforts of the men and heroic reconnoitring by officers, involving the death of three distinguished seniors, were held up. Sniping and machine gunning from the spur became such that the Australians were held up also. JAEGERS AS SNIPERS. The German regiments included Jaegers, who aro excellent snipers. Our men found that every natural feature was being used. Machine guns were hidden in trees, and could not be Tccognised'until the troops were immediately beneath them. , Snipers were scattered in shellholes under canvas screens, A party of 23 Australians passed through our barrage and stormed a, redoubt, killing 30, They then awaited the waves of Victorians. They claim that two parties reached Passchendaele. Being isolated, they had to run back down the slope to gain our lines. I did not mention them previously because I was incredulous that they were Australians, though another observer considered that he recognised their tunics and helmets. The men's evidence confirms his impression. They tell one of the most remarkable tales of the battle. One party, inluding a sergeant, six men with rifles, and three Lewis gunners, reached a house near the church on the southern outskirts of the town. The sergean' states that he was ahead of the wavos A therefore was unaware that the In vave was not launched. They were impressed by the strength of the Passchendaele garrison. Machine guns barked from many houses They saw British dead at the bottom of the final slope, showing that the gallant men had got far ahead of Tuesday's fighting. Many Germans were seen behind the houses, working even under t'ho barrage, bringing up machine guns. Most of the Australians got safely away by dodging between shellholes.

WEOTE NAMES ON WALLS.' The other party reached the northern houses and attacked the Bodies. They wrote their names on walls, and then the survivors, instead of surrendering, gamely returned. They saw hundreds of Germans tiling over the hill into the trenches of Bellevuc Spur. The ;battlefield .on Saturday morning was a strange spectacle. A German order recently captured stated that the British respected the Red Cross, and therefore stretcher-bearers would go in future to the battlefield following a man bearing a. Red Cross flag, to collect the wounded. Such parties appeared early on Saturday, the bearers appearing, says a colonel, "like spare mourners." The Australians took advantage of the situation, and also sent out parties under flags. The result was a strange sight. The battlefield was covered with bearers, whilst sniping and machine gun fire continued pitilessly against those not carrying the bag. This work was continued for four hours, and was a merciful relief, enabling all the wounded to bu safely removed. Officers agree that the Boche had,an extraordinary number of wounded, mostly as the result q£ our sniping And machine sun firs.