"YOU ARE SO BRAVE"

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2966, 3 January 1917, Page 5

"YOU ARE SO BRAVE"

: . ■ ■■ ■ ■ I BRILLIANT CHARGE SCENiS IN THE BIG PUSH A graphic story of the part the New Eealanders played in the big push, on the Western front, togatlier with some - interesting sidelights on what prior to and during an offensive, and .the sufferings of the -men until they are relieved are given in a letter from Private E. H. Young, of Auckland, to « friend in Sydney, and published in the Sydney "Sun." ' ' '"September 14 was a momentous 'day," he says. "Tho roads were a anass-.of moving humanity,' going forward; And the activity was not confined to the land. In the air there Vfi're kite balloons observing for the guns. I counted 27 on a front of 12 miles. The aeroplanes were extremely active, and appeared in all parts of the fcky, being too numerous to count. They : patrolled above the enemv trenches and far behind his lines, and if they observed anything^of importance back they came to their appointed batteries, circled low, tooted their horns, dropped messages, and gave information. Tho daring of our airmen ■Ja extraordinary; their work invaluable. They have complete mastery of the air, \end it is very seldom that a. German .•macbine appears behind our lines. • ■ "Another feature of the approaching battle was the presence of land battle- • ships. We had only heard of thethinge *he. previous day,and that evenine we liad a close view, of some of them. They are truly extraordinary. They are pro- . ■ jmlled by motor' engines, .' and carry either machine-guns or six-pounders. They are built 1 of steel armour-plates, nrG rather and their progress is slow; but we pinned our hopes bn them. We .were confident they t Iwould cause a commotion in Fritz's .'trenches, and they did. : '■■ . . "The following day broke brilliantly, fcftd augured well for the'success of the bffensive. At daylight the walking wounded cases commenced to come Slong, and there was a steady stream all day. At midnight we were inarched along, to the front line of the previous day, and Iwas detailed to carry am- ' inunition.- In .doing this I -witnessed all the horrors of a modern battlefield. .The ground our men-had taken' was pock-marked with shell holes,' the , trenches were battered to pieces,'and there , was a large number of our own ■dead strewn over the ground. On returning we were told to get ready for our ofiafge. We marohed along under the eyes of a German balloon, and wore • subjected'to shellfire the whole of the way. Some of the shells fell not 10 yards from us, but no one was hit, 'The charge, was called off at the Jwt moment, and we ov&ouated the French that evening after an. abortive operation •which cost us nianv men. iwe went info supports behind the village, and September 17 and 18 were spent in a trench there, the last 12 hours in pouring ruin. At a.m. "■ on September 24 we marched out to the trenches we. occupied on Sept«mfler 16, and the following morning two of our companies advanced, taking the ;!top of a hill and digging in. "Our advance was timed , for 12.15 p.m. on September 26, and punctually to time the barrage of artillery- frre searched No Man's Land, and we leapt from our trenches. We lvad goneoome distance, when the Huns , opened a murderous machine-gun arid rifle fire. ' Men in front and all round' me were falling like corn before' a, scythe, and the spectacle was horrible: Still not • a maix hung back, no one wavered, but ■ pressed on steadily, using the. '6hell ■ ■ holes:-for.cover and leaping forward ; from .one to another, until the Hun eu- ' tanglementa; .were. reached. ~ It' wae magnificent to be among any men showing such, dauntless spirit and i "dogged determination. Once the German wire' was. reached the fire suddently stopped, and our men flung themselves into the trench. "The Germans were panic-stricken, throwing off their equipment and : run- i aing for their lives. They made ex- J cellont targets, and large numbers were < downed.'/ The Gorman trench was a < veritable shambles. Men were lying 1 dead everywhere, in some places three J and 1 four deep.; Our losses had been extremely heavy, but those of the Germans must have been muoh heavier. ' Wβ were digging in all that night and the next day, and were done up - when relief arrived at midnight on ; September 27. But our wearinesfl . was nothing compared .to our thirst, i Wβ ha<! kwTonly half. aXhottle during : the previous 24 hours, and I was so dry : that I cut the rubber out of my. tin hat and chewed it to bring meisture to my throat. : . "When we reached our rest oamp the cooks had rum and piping hot stew waiting. Never was a. meal more , ravenously devoured:. We were worn ! out, but proud to be among the sur- ' vivors of' so magnificent ' a charge. ! After , a sleep we were paraded by the brigadier-general, who, in a choking ;i voice, said a few words. I remember particularly his 'Men of the -— Battalion, I cannot face you, you are so . bra-ve.' "Wo are leaving the Sommo area now. . Tho New Zealand Division has done some gallant work, and in all has recovered for France territory to the depth of about threb or four miles. ,