NEW ZEALANDERS TAKE MESSINES

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 137, 9 June 1917, Page 5

NEW ZEALANDERS TAKE MESSINES

THROUGH INFERNO OF SHELLFIRE

OVER 5,000 PRISONERS TAKEN

BRITISH LOSSES SLIGHT

The .New Zealand and Australian troops have again greatly distinguished themselves in Flanders, taking the village of Messines and assisting in the capture of the adjoining ridge, which has been a thorn in the side of the Allies for over two years, dominating their positions in the southern portion of the Ypres salient. The preliminary preparation was the greatest in the war, while the mines whose explosion signalled the attack, were so huge and powerful as to change the whole face of the country. Our men took their objective with marvellous precision, winning warm praise from the competent observers who are attached to the British Army as correspondents. Preparations for the attack extended over a solid year, and along the whole front the fullest success desired was achieved. Already over 5,000 prisoners have been counted, and more are coming in. The French have successfully repulsed a further series of attacks in the Chemin dcs Dames sector. Heavy Austrian counter-attacks on the new Italian positions in the Southern Carso were broken, with considerable losses to the enemy.