NEW ZEALANDERS IN ACTION

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 47, 24 August 1917, Page 7

NEW ZEALANDERS IN ACTION

REPORT FROM GENERAL GODLEY

THE TUNNELLING.COMPANY'S

GOOD WORK,

In the course of a Ministerial statement in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon, the Minister of Defence (Sir James Allen) read the following extract from a letter he had received

from General Godley, dated 16th June:— " The Tunnelling Company did very well in the Arras Battle and gained great kudos. Of the other New-Zealand units besides the division, our Army Field Artillery Brigade was also under my command, and did very well; and I am glad to say the 4th Brigade also arrived just in time for the battle. It was most useful in supplying carrying parties and doing road work, etc., during the first few days, and I then put it into a defensive bit of the line, from which it has since advanced a little and taken some German trenches. A patrol from it did a very good piece of work last night, crossing a pontoon bridge over the River Lys, penetrating into a village, and bringing back some prisoners. Altogether, the brigade has excellently undergone its baptism of fire. , _^ "I am sorry to say" that Colonel Fletcher, commanding the 3rd Battalion of the Wellington Regiment, is badly wounded, but I hope he may be all right. Colonel Allen is, I am glad to say, almost convalescent. I also managed to get the New Zealand Stationary Hospital up,near here before the battle, so that it looked' after many of t our wounded from the division, etc. ! "The squadron of Otago Mounted Rifles of my Corps Cavalry also did well, and was responsible for the statement that British Cavalry had crossed the Ridge, had charged and had been repulsed with great slaughter, few of them getting back. ■ This .was quite true, as it was only a few patrols of the Otago Mounted Rifles which caused such a commotion. They galloped a sniper's post,> helped capturing a couple of guns, and brought back some useful information. "^Altogether, I am glad to say, there were a good many New Zealand units besides the division engaged in the battle, and I am able to give yon a good account of them all. Since I last wrote to you we have had a good deal more fighting, and I have advanced the front of my corps an average distance of about a mile oh a front of about four miles. Much of this was done, and done well, by the.division. "I will write again and tell you more when things are more settled down."