ON THE NEW ZEALAND FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 August 1918, Page 8

ON THE NEW ZEALAND FRONT.

& RECENT COUNTER-ATTACK, HOW THE SIMPLE TEUTON IS DECEIVED. (Special from the New Zealand Official War Correspondent.)

July is. I Ab a result of the recent heavy rains the trenches in places are knee-deep in water and mud. The latest information, regarding the attempt to wrest from lis the ground won by the Ota<»o men shows that the enemy suffered severely in killed and wounded. Some fought determinedly, and showed bravery in carrying in their wounded and dead. Of thirty prisoners captured by the Otago men half were killed by German shell-fire while they were moving to the rear. The German attack was made by the support and reserve battalions of a German fusilier regiment, reinforced by some divisional storm troops. On this sector the Germans seem hard put to it for men. In four .divisions the strength of certain companies has fallen so low that companies had to be reorganised. After allotting men Po the machine-gun groups there are often only sufficient left to form one or two other groups in that company. This may mean that special efforts have to be made to counter the French attacks in the south and troops are needed for the new offensive on the British front. Probably men are required for both purposes! At present our sector remains quiet.

GERMAN LIES. Amusing instances continue to come to light in regard to the lies that are told to their credulous soldiers. The men captured by the Of a,2-05 knew nothing of the repulse of the Germans in the southern battle, but the most ludicrous instance of the manner in which officers lie to their men has just •some to light. The men are being told that the New Zealanders are cannibals, ■so that there is no use surrendering to them, and it would be better to fight to a finish. "The first thing 1 they will tlo to you if you are caught," said an officer recently, "is that they will offer you a cigarette. This means that, you are marked to be killed and eaten.' - At toast one of our recently-captured prisoners believes this story, and sure inough as soon as he was taken a New Zealander offered him a cigarette, and lie considered himself a doomed man. He arrived at headquarters in a terribly agitated state, and it was some time before life could realise that he was not going to be the piece de resistance at a New Zealand soldiers' banquet.

MEDALS AWARDED. The Military Medal has been awarded to the following for recent acts of gallantry in the field:— Sergeant A. .T. Cunningham, Corporal A. Corbett, Rifleman L. Lyford, Rifleman B. Radclilfr, Lance-Corporal A. Lewis, Sergeant R. Cochrane, Corporal W. J. fireen, Sergeant \V. Bray, Corporal J. \Y. Burgess, Sergeant W. B. Timmins, Corporal A. Duff, Corporal K. Hill (all of the Rifles), iPrivate J. Flood (Canterbury), and Private T H. Butt (Otago).