“The Big Push”

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30364, 13 February 1964, Page 3

“The Big Push”

Sir, j—May I add a few words to my. opening remarks? It was early one morning in late March that we left Morlancourt to fill part of the-gap left-by- the collapse, of Gough’s Fifth. Army. (New Zealand Rifle Brigade had preceded us, by the luck of the game) and later we heard that,bn that same day the Australians had been heavily engaged at the same village. We went in near Mailly-Maillet. The last German offensive in those parts was on April 5 and though Fritz . pounded us heavily with shellfire he made no headway. We knew little of wihat was happening in the North. Americans were not mentioned. Men coming from back areas reported. that French newspapers had big headlines, such as “New Zealanders Save France.” Such exaggerations were good for a laugh, like Sir Douglas lllaigh’s “backs to the wall” exhortation: We carried ’on I with our job. and I may say Iwe were much relieved wth-efi we learned that we had our own field gunners behind us.—Yours, etc., 1/CR. February 12, 1964.

Sir, Colonel Hugh Stewart’s history of the New. Zealand Division gives the starting date of the “Big Push”’ as March' 21, 1918. At that time the New Zealand Division was recognised officially as the strongest division on the Western Front and-was placed at the expected break - through, Ypres. But the Germans broke through at. the Somme area and the New Zealand Division was rushed there. The . writer was with the Division, saw the. German artillery come into Albert from a hill just above it, and the following, day was with those Who first. opened fire as we met' . the. Germans coining along.a road singing. C. A. Tucker’s Lewis Gun Section “accounted for at least 90 (Germans),”, for which he was awarded the D. Lieutenant-Colonel St.J. Beere. D. 5.0., of Wellington, led the 4th Battalion N.Z.R.B. at the time of the “push.” The famous play. “Journeys End.” is based on the March. 1918, . German’ offensive. The New Zealand effort was the basis of a lecture to French officer cadets before World War ll.—Yours, etc., DINK. February 12, 1964, [This correspondence, may now cease.—-Ed., “The Press.”]