AN ORDEAL OF FIRE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 22, 20 October 1917, Page 9

AN ORDEAL OF FIRE

DETERMINED ADVANCE BY THE NEW ZEALANDERS HAIG'S MESSAGE BRITISH ARMY CONFIDENT OF VICTORY A NAVAL BATTLE BETWEEN RUSSIANS AND GERMANS

Continued fino weather and pronounced aerial and artillery .activity are reports in Wanders. Extended accounts are given of the later experiences St the New Zcalandere and of the formidable enemy stronghold they attacked a week ago. The general situation and outlook on the Flanders front aro interestingly reviewed in an American official statement. Tho Germans have now,occupied two of the islands covering the mouth of the Gulf of Biga, and in the latest naval operations the Bussians lost a pre-Dreadnought battleship. Another German naval mutiny is reported. It is stated that a number of sailors at Ostcnd refused to board submarines.

THE NEW ZEALANDERS' ORDEAL OF FIRE • i DETERMINED EFFORTS TO OVERCOME FEARFUL OBSTACLES IMPORTANT RESULTS ACHIEVED By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright (Bee. October 19, S.lO p.m.) i! n c-- • , ,r , , •,, • ••' London, October IS. h, I ™ le , vl !°^P ur IS , iin , n}s y-slinped h]ll. rising to a height of 200 feet above the Hooded Labapeek Creek, its sides extending 3000 yards back into Passchendaele township. At the point of the V,\vhich is about 200 yards wide, iWeep concrete structure elands overlooking our lines, with narrow slits manned with machine-gunners and snipers, jroveniinjj every approach. Two irregular lines of wire, each ten feet (loop, extend across the front of the redoubt down the hill to tho valley, where a smaller redoubt bars tho flank. Bellevue, looks a forbidding stronghold, and was tho scene of one of the greatest incidents of the war Against this spur thousands of fine-spirited New Zealanders flung themselves at dawn on I'ritlay, with high hopes of crowning an unbroken series of victories with tho greatest victory of all. The enemy barrage played heavily upon them lor twenty nunues before the start, but tlio lads rose eagerly from a lino of shell-holes and began a steady advance wave, our barrage plunging ahead The men sank sometimes waist-deep in mud. The barrage went faster than advance was possible. .Tho enemy machine-gun iire swelled to a elirick, and many men fell, but the others pressed on. They reached Habapeek and plunged into this deep morass, lhe enemy's main barrage of shrapnel unci high explosive descended hereabouts, whilst machine-suiw, which were now thickly studded in trenches between'redoubts, seemed to close tho passage over the stone road which travorses the morass. Muny, nevertheless, pressed irresistibly over the' dead and across the road, others plunging through tho water, though wounded, and some wore drowned. I lien tho ascent of the slope begun, and the first wave, which was now thin, reached tho wire. This heroic effort will in future be told wherever Australasians gather. Tho gallant lads tried every means of piercing tho wire. \Ynve after wave ntlvanced to denth v Many were riddled with bullets, and the others dropped to the ground and began crawling beneath the wire. Manv who wero shot remained where they fell. Some reached tho other side, charged, and tell. One reached the redoubt and began to crawl beneath the slits and round to the side. Perlmps he might have nltoityl tlio fortunes of the engagement with bombs, but be was killed by ono of our ride grenades, which we were firing from shell-holes. Tho great effort ended. The waves had determinedly expended themselves. The survivors remained in shell-holes, the Jaegers sniping so accurately that any bend put abovo ground was shot. They awaited another effort, which the commanders, decided was undesirable. The line was organised at night-time, but later was somewhat withdrawn, in order to permit the shelling of the enemy position. Tho day was crowded with heroic incidents. An orderlyroom sergeant, after tho death of tho coloiml and the wounding of the adjutant wpt through a hail-of bullets to tho senior captain, found him wounded, and went to other senior oSicers, who were nil disabled. He went to a lieutenant and informed him that ho was in command of the battalion. The journey occupied ninety minutes. A Lewis gunner, who was wounded, the rest of the crew having been killed, continued to'work (he gun upon an enemy machine-gun, twice advancing the position alone, and finding another gun when his own was blown out. —United Service.

HEROIC WORK OP THE NEW ZEALANDERS EULOGISE D

COURAGEOUS STRETCHER-BEAREHS SAVE MANY LIVES. (lice. October 19, 7.25 p.m.) London, October IS. Mr. G. Gilinour (tho Australian Press Association correspondent) writes: "Another tine day on Tuesday was confined to mutual artillery strafing. The Australians and INew. Zcalamicrs wore onJy asked to hold the trenches securely. This was no trouble at all. There were German raids and fighting in some hectors, and a heavy rain of .shells was put in occasionally, .but the casualties sinco _ Friday have., been' very few. Tlie consolidation effected enabled our men to remain in comparative safety in the front Hues and dig dry sleeping-places. When rain' commenced on' Tuesday night our front line was cosy as compared with the cold and uncertain terrors reigning in tho German positions. New Zealanders state that the Germans are suffering from extreme nervousness. The New Zealandere are proud of the way they got the woundt-d out of the battle. Tho mud made ,l the work so difficult that six bearers were allotted to each stretcher. A former guide at Mount .Cook was among tlie bearers, and his 'courage and endurance saved many lives. Considering the losses incurred by the New Zealanders in the early stages, when under fierce'machiiie-giiri tire, tho work of removing the wounded was one of great difficulty, requiring elaborate organisation. Wounded weve si ill being carried out two days niter the. battle. The Germans, finding their Red Cross respected, gave the New Zealand bearers ,safe passage, anil although at one time 300 stretcher cascts were lying outside a New Zealand aid post, in full view of the enemy, not a ehot was fired. Yet the New Zealanders instantly shot any German not tendingthe wounded who exposed himself, and tho Germans endeavoured to catch New Zen-landers in the same' manner. At other points of the Anzac line the Germans shot down tho stretcher parties, and our boys indicted instant punishment. A popular Otago officer was lolled after throwing a bomb at one n'f the biggest of the "pill-boxes." But for the wire the Now Zcaln'nders would have given Inesu places short shrift. Other New Zealanders with Imperial ' troops on tho left. Officers say they never saw such cool bravery as when (he New Zealanders were advancing. They had to be sternly commanded to lie down when gusts of bullets came their way. When, a she'll killed a senior officer a signalling sergeant from Lyttelton struggled for an hour and a half through mud. under constant fire, . until he found a lieutenant to take over the command. The New Zealand force to-day is mnet cheerful, knowing tho latest sacrifices were not made in vain, and were attended with most important results."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

SPLITTING THE GERMAN LINE

TYPHOON OF FIB.E CAUSING THE ENEMY MUCH - CONCERN. '■ Washington, October 18. .Mr. N. D Baker (Secretary for \\ ar) has issued a' communique which point? out. that the Allies are driving a wedge, into Flanders that will eventually split the German ' line and permit, a flanking movement which will eliminate costly frontal, attacks. The typhoon ot fire is causing the Germans real concern, and they-are'compelled to amend their tactical dispositions in tho effort to meet the shock. The zone ot operations at Ypres is so extended that it can no longer ho considered us a sauclir. but is a progressively extending wedge. The French co-operation on the front is nnwt important.' !t has afforded the Allies the necessary elbow-room. Hie low casualties of Urn assaulting columns attest tho precision of the Allies' barrage.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

"THE TIDE HAS TURNED"

AUSTRO-GERMANS CONSISTENTLY ENGAGED IN REPELLING ATTACKS. * , New York, October 18. 'Die United Press Paris correspondent states Hint Congressmen Medill and M'Cormick, after spending eix weeks on the battlefronls. declare that "the tide has turned. There, will be no more atrocities. There will be terrible battles; but, in spite of events in Russia, tho Austro-Germans are consistently engaged in repelling attacks, and aro themselves tjo longer able to attack."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. SUCCESSFUL RAID NEAR GAVEELLE. London, October 18. Hir DoiHas Haig reports: "London .I'crrilorials made a successful raid last night in tho neighbourhood of Gavrelle. Our casualtice were light. Hostilo nrtillory is active south of the Yiu'es-Comincs Canal and in the neighbourhood uf Zonnebeke and Bromlseinde."—Aus.-A.Z. table Assn. GREAT ARTILLERY AND AERIAL ACTIVITY. (Itec. October 19, 0.20 p.m.) - . ... .... ' London, October IS. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "Hostile artillery shelled vigorously..various localities c;»stward of Vpres, and osir positions south-east of Poelcapcliti. ' .The activitv of oui , artillery continues to- he successful in cosmter-hattcry work. A concentrated firo was" directed with, pood enect at B . number of targets. A few prißonws have been broughtin. There has been no further -infantry action. There was

great aerial activity yesterday. Ivinoty-eight bombs were dropped on the enemy's billets and hutments. The enemy's machinea were aggressive in' the forenoon, making several flights over our lines. Eleven enemy machines wore brought down, and three of ours are missing."— Aua.-N.Z. Cabin Assn.-Eeuter.

ON THE FRENCH FRONT

(Eec. October 19, 9.10 p.m.) London, October 18. A trench communique states: "North of the Aisno our troops repuleed an attack against Vauclerc Plateau. Artillery actions occurred at Maison des Champagne, north of the Souain, and on the right bank of the Meuse, in the Bois do Chanrae regjon.'"-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. HAIG'S REPLY TO MR. LLOYD GEORGE'S MESSAGE BRITISH ARMY DETERMINED AND CONFIDENT OF VICTORY. (Rcc. 'October 19, 9.20 p.m.) rri -n' t> ii -• -r> London, October 18. Ihe Press Bureau etiite: sir Douglas Haig, replying to Mr. Lloyd George's message, eaidr-rhe British armies in l-'rance aro proud to have won the congralulations of the War Cabinet and the generous congratulations conveyed in your message ot appreciation All ranks are determined to achieve victory, and are confident of doing eo. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn-Reuter

NAVAL BATTLE IN GULF OF RIGA

A RUSSIAN BATTLESHIP SUNK OESEL ISLAND COMPLETELY OCCUPIED BY ENEMY Pi °® cia l "W st ? tcs: " A naTal battle took "place' in°the er Gutf of (£ TcifL Bu ? lan ba t«e3hip Slava was sunk. The wieiny completely occupies S, w ?l^ er ?. w S & ve d «trored everything of military utility. The enemy and ™?L T ? ulf of R t IBa , "ter depriving us of control of the Irbe Channel and pressed back our patrols m Mohn Sound. Our battleships Grazhbaniu '(?) pn«rrf n an ?- the cruiser Bayan engaged the enemy, and drove back his vanTwL L 81u ,P 5 ,, en R a S ed H» Germans 'principal fighting units, including two l)readnou|hfa ot the Grosser-kurfurst type. The enemy's artillery outranged Hfirt eT our old ships, wTuclf defended tTie entrance for a considerable- time after wjiicn severe damage forced them to retire. The Shiva received several hits beneath the watorline. Nearly all the crew were saved. Our coast batteries at the entrance of Molm Sound dispersed torpedo-boats attempting to approach. Afterwards an enemy Dreadnought put 'the batteries out of action. Another detachment ot our naval (forces in Mohn Sound kept back attacks from the north. Simultaneously, a great number of aircraft dropped many bombs on our ships and harbours. '.Che enemy landed small detachment* on Dago Island, but our fare forced them to return to the ships. Subsequently an enemy cruiser and a Dreadnought bombarded the landing place. Our patrols report (iftv-iive enemy ships in the neighbourhood of Oesel and Dago 'Islands."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. r !P$ ? ,aTa, com P le ted in WOS. was a battleship of 13,518 tons, with a speed of 18 knots, and carried 740 officers and men. She wrs armed with four 12-inch, iJS , B B_mc !V, and ab ? ut 35 smaller guns. The Bayan is an armoured cruiser of (887 tons, with two 8-inch, eight β-incf, and thirty small guns. The Grosser Riirluret quoted as the type of some of the German vessels engaged is a Dreadnought of 23,887 tons, with ten 12-incli guns and a speed of 22 knote/j

' GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT. . „ _. . , , , , London, October IS. - • i 6l '? 13 ?^ 0 " 1, - veport s i at^: P UF ca P hir «« island of Oesel up (o now include 10,000 prisoners. Only a few hundred men escape/! to Mohn Island, no also took nfty guns. Portions of our naval forces advanced throueh theminefields as far as the southern exit of the Great Mohn Sound, to which, after a short engagement, twenty Russian warships retired. We silenced the batteries on Mohn Island and on tho Eethoniau coast. Our naval units in the ensttrn portion of Xassarwick are barring the passago to tho west."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Keuter. . . . (Rec. October 19, 9.20 p.m.) ' London, October 18. A German official report states: "Wβ hare captured Mohn Island."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Keuter.