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Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 247, 16 October 1917, Page 5

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THE ANZAC RETIREMENT. NEW ZEALAND GAILANTBT. ' ' " REMEMBER GALLIFOLI.' , NOBLE SACRIFICES MADE. (Received 2.20 p.m.) LONDON, October 15. ■Mr. Keith Murdoch, special correspondent of the " Sydney Sun." writing on Saturday la.st, says: —"In drenching rain the Australian and New Zealand troops I clung throughout a night and day to their poor lines of The Australians had retired at dusk from most 'of the foremo.-t posts captured in yesterday's offensive. They had been mercilessly sniped and machine-gunned from spurs parallel to theirs, while batteries of held guns brought within 400 yards lof tlioir new positions rained shrapnel, and the positions became untenable. The men were gradually withdrawn. They brought in what wounded could be colllected, but were now sadly depleted in number*/' Mr. Murdoch refers to the terrible, sodden, muddy condition of the battlefield, and as an example instances a num- ■ her of ca.-es of fatigued men who fell into shell-holes, and being unable to rise were smothered. A party of Germans advancing across a bog came under tire, and were left standing upright in the mud. I "My observations," he continues, "included marshy land under the Bellevue Spur over which the New Zealanders j valiantly advanced. To less heroic j troops the feat would have been impossible During the height of the battle a brigadier, replying to his colonel's plea for reinforcements which were not available sent the historic message, "Remember the 6tory of Gallipoli." Another correspondent, describing the Australians' advance towards the village of Passehendaele, says: "Men on the ;If ft then came under strong machine gun ifire from the left flank. This is explained by the fact that the New Zealanders had been held up by uncut wire, and a nest of machine guns in a strong redoubt railed Bellevue. there.by enabling the Germans to pour a direct and enfilading fire into the Australians. We pushed ! ahead, though many fell. I Meanwhile the New Zealanders, with the utmost gallantry, despite great sacrifice, retired to break a way through the Bellevue spur defences, which on Tuesday had similarly held up the British troops. The New Zealanders gained a useful tnree hundred yards, but their most gallant efforts, though full of noble sacri-' liccs. did not succeed. It is not unusual : to meet uncut wire in such attacks, but it was specially difficult to-day, because the weather made rapid advance behind the barrage most ditlicnlt, giving the Germans time to get out machine guns after the barrage had passed.— ( United i Service.)