STEMMING THE TIDE

Taranaki Daily News, 4 June 1918, Page 7

STEMMING THE TIDE

NEW ZEALANDERS IN THE GREAT BATTLE. FINE WORK BY THE NORTHERN MEN. INDIVIDUAL ACTS OF BRAVERY UNDER FIRE (From Malcolm Ross, War Correspondent with the N.Z. Forces in the Field.) France, Bth Rpril. By means of the cable I have already forwarded tho main details of the part taken by the New Zealandm ; n the great battle which commenced towards lhe end of.the last month, and which is still rasing, though in a somewhat, more spasmodic. fashion, along a considerable portion of the front. It .rermiuifi now to supplement these accounts with some details- As I have already stated the exigencies of the situation were such that pome of the units had to go into action irrespective of the units to which they belonged, but this seems to have made little if any difference in the vigor and enthusiasm witli which the troops went forward. Men from Northern units distinguished themselves in the first days of th.i fighting, while individual officers and men behaved with groat gallantry. [ have already mentioned in my cabled messages several instancs of special bravery, and, meantime, there is nothing further to add in regard to these. In due course, no doubt, you w'-ll hear of tliem again in particular detail from official sources.

As these Northern men, with some of the Rides, came on to the front, the situation was undergoing some change, so that at the last moment there 'had to be an alteration of plan? AVith the units that went into action there was also a machine-gun company and a trench mortar battery armed with r'fles. The troops went forward at half-past five, and fcr the first half-hour the rewas slight, although fire was opened hy enemy machine-gunners the moment our troops began to approach what was known as the Apple Tree Spur. The advance continued without a great ileal of opposition until a point was reached about two hundred yards west of a sunken road. Then the casualties began to he rather heavy, (but the troops pushed on and established themselves in old trendies and communication trenches some two hundred yards cast of the road. At this stage the attack wa:\ su-.pended. During tho night the enemy made two determined bombing attacks against the loft of our front, but were driven off on each occasion. The following day passed quietly. By the time night fell some W prisoners and 11 machine-guns had been captured. Next morning the Sew Zealand commander on the spot, having personally reconnoitred a portion of his front held by Auckland (roops, came to the conclusion that it was imperative to push his line forward at this point, and, at 2 p.m. on the 30th, the attack on Ui Wgn}' l'arm was launched, men of the Wellingtons and Rifles co-operating. In this attack excellent work was done- by an Auckland officer, who personally supervised the assembly of his men in an awkward position, and when during tho attack a party on one flank was held up in a communication trench he immediately proceeded to the front and directed it forward. He tlun proceeded to the other flank of his command, and, under heavy machine-gun fire, pave them his personal assistance. Both officers and men were inspired tiy bis coolness and io«ourcc.

The attack was launched under an excellent artillery barrage, the infantry having to triw about four hundred yards of open, level country. With a splendid ruslli they went forward, and in four minutes they were in the enemy trench, the barrage at tho same moment lifting to beyond the oibjcitive. Here a large number of the enemy were discovered cowering jn thc-ir trenches to avoid our artillery fire. The reply from the enemy's guns was not heavy, and what there was of it absolutely missed our leen o.wing to tho quickness with wlncn they charged forward. Machine-gun fire came from the left and also from iho right, but the New Zealanders were or to the machine-gun? in many cases before they could get properly into action. Cases actually occurred of men jumping into a trench and killing the Gorman gunners just as the barrage had lifted and as the latter wore endeavoring to got their machines into action- The success of this brilliant little attack was no doubt due to the clement of surprise and the magnificent dash with which our infantry crossed the open. Often our men rushed the enemy machine guns with the greatest 'bravery. In tho attack on thi a farm a sergeant went for cue gun's crew single-handed, shot the crew, and put the gun out of action. It was a gun that for the time being had stopped the advance at that particular point, and had put several of our men out of action.

A few members of a company that was -held up in a communication trench had to bomb their way forward, and were greatly assisted l:y a Stokes section that pushed up in the rear end absolutely disorganised the enemy resistance.

Practically every mail in the enemy tanks .vho resisted was lulled, "out nevertheless we got a great haul of prisoners ami machine-guns—slos of tlie former and 110 of the latter along the whole frontage of not more than 1500 yards. Among the prisoners were elements of four regiments. Apparently the enemy had rushed .his machine-guns forward during the original advance into the gap that existed with a view to enabling the masses of his infantry to get through at a later stage. The New Zca.lan.derß arrived in time to prevent that, but at one stage the situation must have 'been critical Whether or not he can still push through remains to be Been. Last night he bomibarded our artillery positions, and the boiufljardirent teamed if it might ibc the prelude to another infantry attack. So far nothing lias come of it, and, fortunately, owing to the precautions taken, our losses amojigit the batteries were very slight indeed. Needless to say, our own guus Wi-re not idle during this strafe. In tlw attack on t'he farm, about which I have been writing, suine of the liiftes played an honorable part. They co-operated, working up two converging trendies towards a strong enemy poai- «!— * :1 " M ''« d, just jyovioua to tk^ur

advance, been kept undr strong fire liy English and New Zealand howitzers. The t'-trjug point was eventually captured by a converging movement of bombing parties from the Rifles and the Aucklands. Others of the Rifles liad to tomb up communication trenches to a strong point that was causing trouble, it was not till evening that this point was reported to be in our bands and touch established throughout. Our barrage was made more effective by the aid of two of our machine-gun sections. From what prisoners said afterwards, this fire was very effective. British heavy artillery groups .also lent most valuable assistance- Our com(nanders speak in terms of the highest praise of the efforts of their colonel to do everything possible at all times to help the New Zeaianders in their operations, both in filling the gap and in holding it. Valuable tiermau maps and documents were also captured, amongst the latter being a report from a regimental commander stating that his casualties bad been extremely severe, and that he ipust have immediate reinforcements. During th(!_i-' l,J '* stafies of these operations a Me® 'officer, already noted for his, and his great

strength, again distinguished himself. Like many others, lie liad been travelling for Ave days, with little rest or sleep, yet took his company imto action in good condition and perfect order. On the 27th March, when several of his men were killed and wounded by ahell-fire, he went to the spot where tho wounded lay and attended .to them. Lifting one man on his broad shoulders, he carried him out to safety. During the whole time lio was working with the wounded the place was being swept with heavy maehine-gun fixe. A young officer, who 'had charge of the left oif the attack, took his company into action in an admirable manner- In tile early stages of the attack he was wounded, 'but continued to lead his men. When they were held up machine-gun fire, lie personally directed them, and, largely owing to his initiative and coolness, tho objective was finally reachedJust before this lie was again wounded, and had to be carried from the field.

A corporal,, who had already won the Military Medal, did line work, and when many of his men were casualties iheheld, with six men, a difficult position under shoMre till others came up. Though wounded, he. refused to leave the field of battle until ordered <away toy his commander.

A lieutenant, who was directing the assault against an enemy post that held between 40 and 50 men and six machineguns, organised three bombing attacks and then led his men with great dash in a final assault that succeeded in getting the guns and twenty-five prisoners. He directed the consolidation of the captured position. One private, who was the leading (man of a mopping-up party, killed ten Germans within as many minutes. Lewis-gunners had a busy time at the commencement, and, when the enemy rsistance was broken, had a still busier time firing into tho retreating Gervna-n infantry. They went boldly into action, and some continued to fire their guns after they were wounded. One fired his gun until it was blown away, and then got another gun and continued tiring. The stretcher-bearers once more stuck to their work with grim determination. Some worked continuously for fourteen hours, bandaging wounded and carrying them back under machine-gun fire. Linesmen also did fine work in keeping open tho communications between the front and headquarters.