THE NEW ZEALANDERS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16314, 11 September 1918, Page 7

THE NEW ZEALANDERS.

STILL ADVANCING. (Special—From the Official War Correspondent.) September 6. Starting from their outpost positions, won as a result of yesterday's advance, tho New Zealanders to-day continued their forward march. This morning they mopped up numbers of Germans remaining in 6hellholes in front of last night's objective, and took 50 moro prisoners. The patrols then pushed on south of Havrincourt Wood to Metz-en-Couture Village. Havrincourt Wood, where we exnected stiff fighting, was evacuated by the enemy. September 7. To-day the New Zealanders have continued their advance oast of Havrincourt Wood and tho village of Metz-en-Couture, and havo pushed their patrols right into Gouzeaucourt Wood, which the enemy has cut down for timber. We aro well beyond the Canal du Nord, which we crossed where it is tunnelled. To- the south-west the enemy has blown up the railway, and away in the north-east we can see fires burning in llibecourt, Flesquieres, and E:>inoy. DECLINE OF GERMAN MORAL We are moving eastward almost parallel with the Hindenburg line, but what is of more importance than. the ground gained, is the" undoubted deterioration of tho enemy moral. Some prisoners who were captured yesterday accused another unit of running away, and yet another lot complained that, the troops detailed to relieve them did not come up There is increasing reluctance to fight to n finish, and even officers now admit that tho Germans cannot win, and that gonerally they are very tired of the war. One officer stated that we were in possession of Kemmd, and when told we got it without fighting was more ecornful still. The enemy has blown great craters in the roads near Metz-en-Couture. COMFORTABLE ENEMY HEADQUARTERS. A soda-water plant we captured is now ready to supply two of our divisions, and thousands of bottles full havo been discovered. Two German tanks lie stranded in ground the New Zealanders have won. One wood we occupied contained almost luxurious headquarters undestroyod. The enemy had evidently settled there for the winter. There were numerous huts with excellent beds, and nearly every one had a safe dug-out to which the occupants could retire in case of shelling. Flowers were growing in window-boxes. Two days ago German gunners began to shell this camp savagely, and we found his dug-outs useful. One hut was set afire, but some of our men, climbing to the root, pluckily beat out the fire while the shelling continued. In returning our car raced through a barrage from 6.9 guns, and splinters pierced our mudguards. Everything goes to show that the enemy is greatly annoyed, though powerloss to stay our advance. fle is resisting with machine-gun fire from the south end of Gouzeaucourt "Wood and Trescault Ridge.