LAST DAYS OF THE FIGHTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 November 1918, Page 6

LAST DAYS OF THE FIGHTING.

| ~WITH THE NEW ZEALANDERS AT- | I "• ■■• LE QUESNOY. ;

FINAL SCENES IN THE GREAT WAR

DRAMA.

(From Captain Malcolm Ross, Correspon dent with the N.Z. Forces.)

London, Nov. 8

Fifty years hence there will be old men sitting in the iuglenook in New Zealand telling their grandchildren tales of the storming of Le Quesnoy- The I more one sees of the wonderful old fortress the more remarkable seems the achievement. Men of mettle would have held it for a month: the Germans lost it .in a day. The outer and inner ramparts, with their moats and island bastion in between, bad defiance to an invader. That such a fortress should fall to New Zealanders is an episode in history. Stranger still is the fact that the first man to enter was a Maori —one of our Pioneer Battalion.

After stiff fighting and several casualties to officers and men, a battalion of the Rifle Brigade found themselves within three hundred yards of the Port de Valieneiennea. Already the Boche had laid a mine. Presently there was a loud explosion, and the bridge was hurled into the air. The garrison, entirely held by the New Zealanders, fought on. At 2-30 the battalion commander (who is one of the most determined fighters) decided to try a sortie. Two officers and tpn others went forward. To this party there had attached themselves some Maoris of the Pioneer Battalion, who for the moment, having nothing else to do, joined the fighting troops. One of thes, teizing a Boche rifle, led the way. and shot the first German he saw. There can be no better account of the incident than his own terse and humorous description: "When I see the Boche .1 shoot again, end mm- Then I fire the third time, but no plurry. bullet." (Thera had been only two bullets in the magazine of that Boche rifle) The Maori, then realising that there was little more that he could do, returned to his unit and exchanged the rifle for a shovel, well content that he had killed at least one Bnohc. Like somedemon in a pantomime, he faded out of the picture, and no one knows his name or number: hut the battalion commander is still looking for him to recommend him for a well-earned decoration.

:■ PINAL SCENES. Nov. 9. To-day an extraordinary position provails on this front. But for the rumble of passing transport and the hum of a few planes, no battle sound meets the ear. Our own as well as the enemy's Sims are silent. The British artillery has been passsed up for miles with advancing infantry, tut can find nothing to shoot at. The German armies, which have heen in quick retreat, have disappeared into the blue. In Lo Quesnov one continues to hear sad tales of thr German treat roenfc of British prisoners. One commandant went along the ranks lashing them with his whip. The treatment wag so bad on one occasion that a German sergeant interposed to prevent n. German offlor ill-treating our men. After their last brilliant achievement. t ; ie New Zealanders have come out of the line, and the hope is «encral that t.'ie nevt line them will have to hold will ho the Rhine.

One of tlie last, scone? in thp drama of war was 'enacted to-day in the ypiftrc of the old frontier town of Xc Quesnoy. At 2 in the afternoon tlie President of the French Republic, attended bv Froneh officers, and with the tricolor flying from his ear, drove into the main square, amid outbursts of cheering. The New Zealanders furnished a, guard of honor. Tlie square was rowded with our troonli and ivilians. Many other New Zeilanders watched from cverv window and baloonv, and even from the roofs of buildings to whihe they had climbed. When one of our bands struck nn the ""Marseillaise,"' there was a renewed outburst of enthusiast", and ehildren drawn up in the square wa.ved a. welcome with hundreds of flies, fleporal TTnrner, our corn=i commander, and Oeneral Russejl with memheTs of their staffs and other ofWs. were present, The streets wi>re aMazc with buntin". and the snunra '*-elf flittered in bright sunshine the Allied flays. with the New 7eeland ensign in the nwt nrominent position. A' French 'plane, flying low. circled over this remarkable assemblage, and drew forth another burst of cheering: while a British | 'plane which followed got a- similar welcome.

The President', addressing the civic authorities! (among whom was the Afavor, recently returned from a German prison beca-itse he wonld notriayaheavy tineV, naid that the eneiny had now been told the terms on which he migh* have an armistice l . He must answer Yea; or Nav. If be refused those conditions be wouM he driven from the remaining nart of France, which ho had devastated, to his own "borders', and pursued even bevond their confines. The people of' France had suffered untold and incalculable miseries; hut it was not France that would have to navr it was the enemr. "Citizens of Le Ouesnoy." added V. Pnincairo. addressing the erey-headed fathers who stood before him uncovered. "von owe vonr liberty to the action of the Allied Armies, and nbtaWy to the New Zealand troops who are assembled here today." ~""V THE END. -""-"■'-'•»-•'-, -. NoV. It.

The newS of cessation of hostilities this morning was received very nuietly so far a* the New Zealand Division'was concerned. Tie infantry had come ont of the line after the Mormal Forest fighting in wonderful spirit, and were billeted in villages behind. The artillery fired their last shot yesterday, and to-day arc trekking back to a well-earned refit. Divisional headquarters was on the point of shifting nearer the front, hut the move was cancelled and the whole Division baa had to move ftrrth'er hack.

Already tie whole Expeditionary Force is cOTcernedfwith educational and demobilisation scheme. Fverv effort will be made to occupy and interest the' men diiTinp what must inevitably prove a trying interregnum. Ordinary military drill must continue for some considerable time, but of primary importance is the education scheme which was started in England bv the YM.OA.. encouraged and developed bv the command there, and also in France, is well in bind nlreodv. A tentative scheme has been in' j operation here dnrinff hostilities will now give place to a more comprehensive | scheme on which the board has been at [work. The method of procedure, seW-

m?nt have been considered. The requirements oi all classe-i or students, from those desirous of obtaining scholarships to those who need elementary training, will be considered. The general estimates that the scheme will cost £f>o,ooo, and expresses the opinion that with the hearty co-operation of military o-Tjeers here and in New Zealand it will have far-rcaehing result-:, and tie of incalculable -benefit to the Dominion. Already those concerned with it have been in close liaison with those responsible for similar schemes in the British Army and ot'iicr overseas forces. An ollieer (formerly a professor at Canterbury College) will be in charge of the whole scheme.