NEW ZEALANDERS TAKE 2,000 PRISONERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 141, 14 June 1917, Page 5

NEW ZEALANDERS TAKE 2,000 PRISONERS.

ENEMY FALLING BACK TOWARDS WARNETON (Received 11.13 a.m.) BRITISH HEADQUARTERS IX FRANCE, June 11. The New Zealand Corps and divisional commanders are in receipt of many fonsratulatory messages upon the success of their operations in the battle of Messina. Meantime other units have made a further dent in the Herman line, and posts lia\e been established close to Warneton. On the first day cavalry patrols pushed out into the open, among them 3. Canadian squadron, who galloped up to and captured a snipers' post, took come prisoners, and did useful reconnaissance. Infantry patrols are out today, and present indications are that the enemy will fall back into tu3 'Warneton system. -* miles south-east of Messines. Captured docrments and prisoners' statements prove that the enemy spared no effort to defend Messines. Every man was notified that he must resist to the utmost in the front line. Companies were told that adequate Bupports -would be available, and that their immediate counter-attacks would always be effective. Xeither statement came true, fo» the weight of our guns and the valour of our troops triumphed. One paragraph in a captured order ran: -The enemy must not get the Messines Ridge at any price." The troops in the front line were warned to be specially on the alert, and were practically ifl a. state of "'stand to" day and night. During one bombardment our artillery blew up a German dump, and twelvs horses were killed in a neighbouring stable. That night the Germans bad cooked meat. They said it was splendid. We have captured amongst other things paper bandages which are- now leld in reserve by (Jermans in case cotton bandages run out. Our corp« have captured to date about 40 officers and nearly 2,000 prisoners. Some were taken in dugouts in which they had been hiding for four dzys.—Special from Mr. Malcolm Eoss, Official War Correspondent.)