LAST DAYS OF THE FIGHTING

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 91, 11 January 1919, Page 7

LAST DAYS OF THE FIGHTING

■' WITH THE NEW-ZEALANDERS FIGHTING IN. COUNTRY U'loin' Malcolm Eossj 'Offioial CorrcApon- ; •v . • V , 7',;- •' v Certain.'Otago,-and-"Canterbjfry;^batfa|- • ions, had ,beeu the, leaders. ip. j;lie/,bri..Kad.e's attack sq','fiar'.''..,fiy October. 9;tfie . t • h«4. arrived .foi ; ' "other, battalions to take a part'.ih fljelluint.,,' . ..to attack 1 at r^2o':a.nv.'under ,ii "creeping ; barrage.. ~ caine" do.wh, in ; due.- course, b'nt.'it fe'll'/in.a vbfif..,'; In ..the. Jtight-time':.the, cneili'y had-' stolen / ~,The" troops ;.piiijjied;b,ir'as;fast; lis i , ivbuld .'.lot' Hi.erii;: biit 'no'-en-...eih'y was seen;rl 'Bv'the'^time ".first ...Objectiyg' %as' re'aciie'd,;.'t.!ie ".barriige' be.'<:nme' very'ragged,'arid .tlio lUit'flSis'. held ' tip' for some timb' by' it. "' f! L'4ter'Jthi; barvage died, down, and the cqmpanics. .went forward acd'oss .flifc opeii .as - if ~ «lpi.n'g_;ah(exercise..- '"'.Th'ey;'J ,pnSß%lf;'Over ..'th'e' ridge'Jbetweeii Giuidry and Fontiiitie, ,'.„ the former a-town of"considerable .Sizb, in . which there' wei'b stijl civilians, 5 <i.iid the jlatter' a sriihllbr 1 village! Which v ..Was , pfaeticyiy;' joined' o'n'l'6 tlife')' largdr;yil•s lago of BeaiWois;' abutting ion' 1 tho lie Cateau-Cambrai; road. It was : o'il "this grouiid tlint'fhe-Vattte'of'le Cateau had ueeir--fought, -and ..our men ..were niakirig history' on- foiling-'dowiis the .tide'of.battle-.had. ebbed and flowed. ~J.e Cateau itself, where, four days', after a. little', .oveij'.a', hundred years ago, Wellington! Jiadi'fixed his headquar- , ters, was only-a few. miles away. Biit the trend .of-. the .Newl,Zealand force wn" nots-in-.-that' direotion.-.iClt was 'toward . Eontaine and BeauvoiSj •; on. .the .other hand. : The lending line 3 got dowin ,lhe ■ slope-facirig heavy, rifle .., and; machine-gun _< fi'reJ;.'for.-the ...enemy -.-- were 'still : in Ij'britainej. ; machine- . ' cunriers were .firjng' on ijiir.,. trpops' froin . its flmrch steej2le. v ,„.We,-watched... iour . .'"men digging in ..in .rifle pits .in the.beet jV :. fields .fliidf.q.n ,tlve...ri6ing ground .'just to' /Itljejiright 'of tlie• .village.; "'Sbme'.'.Efeex. • troops jere .fightitig'Jiravelj; fo'r'Cauaryy but j-ereiot yet;in toiich .with pur^ght." -'•. ' • Night Fighting. '-:

| i_ The commander of. one>Otago battf(l- ; I ion decided td rush'paßt flie villages in" the night,, and do ~ thQ . popping up afterw;(fds.>..^.TJieVmen : >rested:'in their-' shelter pile till .midnight, when. tw"o - . platoons'were sent out as patrols.: .OnS- - v -wotked '-intp Fontaine witft r only-,- ,sliEht- : wppDsition". The other worked over ;the' . 'forward slope.-* The'"officers of those pat-- . '•■ rpls ' did really; fine , work/' going : stbauily, lot"',ran!' i'n. tho :;darknes3 -.'and',-never" los--,-ing direction. 'By five- o'cluck orir inen r '-v-Biere- at Farm;'be'yotld ''the' • CambrairEoad, and well abreast-of BSau- v -T<rfs?• the iorWard"village;- There•• rwas • ..still no e;gn of \the troops on -right' . ■who.-.had started-later,' so'there'our men: • Btppped-.fop the time bting.,* ' They'break-:,' • • 'fasted, at '7 ■".a.m.,Mand' : w-j-hoiir "'-later. toops- came v up" ori' the "left -after,- goingi'sthrough. the.v Tillage.'.• 'The■"'3{ew- Zealanclers -'had rushed 'the ■• enemy; rightr off ihis 'feet,-? : and there:.were: evi-s the .hutTy; of,-his' retrSati suclb. • <'ls- half-cookod '.ami! -half-eaten food ' In- -■ liis. pots -and on ~liiss tables,' -:.ii . ' (.Byv^.-M.tho, Otagos;,were, level .with'La, ■ Guisetto farm, and an -liour - ; later they i . had pushed down the, slopes into the'but*: .of ..?Bethencourt,T"l3ey6nd ' • t whipb-had.'fallen .{q,-the ,37th: Division. f v.,;.shere.;w 'ft' great-deal'of machine ; gun '■' from 1 the direction' of Quivey.. j and from'theJeft-of Bethenr . court, 'whieti'-latter' fire was holding' 1 up ' '-.th'e''.Canterbnrys-r,-:and "-''other'" British' . -..\Here.'^the>fighting 'became :niostinteresting. The Otago':Battalion -got level with'-the firing-line:th'e" ! Ger-- •• '.mans;- who -were facing the Oariterburys,- • arids pushed'four Viokers-gnn?'down-'the • shallow • .-valley for about ;.- a•' thouwnd, • yards. Firing - with ; rgobd effect, '--they! -r-soon-fchid- the .Bbches'minnrn'g'back in the- direction--'of a-.vrlla'gerbn • the- -right,;; and,:.-.while: the' -'tantei-burys • ■ 8i)d j Hie.m'eir from thtr'British joes cAiie - ' -lipi a- -.forward eection 'Of 'the" ; ."lv ew-' Ze'a- ■: -,'land - s Field '.Artillery' got'r'its eighteen'"pounders.on- to at .-short range;:.utterly demoralfeirig'Ulitn. •The;.- Bpohes *, rani> far 'itheir ■ tiViS; ? comipgA. towaidsr bUr-titrboiw,. arid '"oWei's trying opposite .' -Xhe,. leagin g.,T^attalij>ii .iiiojy.v Rot'l:;Jetal''"''W.ith..::Bethencourtj'.- -,-tfte'r'- '-itliichsome more Otagos-came .through :i em, : and for the time being the othars »enfc Jy'«Ut.",Qf. tbei.'fight;.-.. ;;B.•• i ;The:'.oJ:E"ei'ptago.ahd-' Canterbury men, dime on again jit tlys juncture to pnsh.-! through their comrades. Thsy ca-ne up.- " - jto" them'just' in Mvaric'e! : 'bf : the 'Vjaffibrai--'"-'Lei Catea'u ; Eo'rfd atvthe tftne v L ii^n"'the'. men of Britain and the • v .'Gani'f.b'urysr :-.:-wer6; held- up- _on ; " men werei'biing subjected to/a ; gobd-' deal of. ! roacnine-gua fire, .''but fdecided -to' push "■ Jin,.- and.-' by ddvaneing' v 'theif' bivn'-'lirieji ' "hejp thfe'people ,oh;'th'e'Jift.' 'JTo «lj this > ■: th'ey .'had -to "pas's';thro'ugh'' 'jflme'-' ofa'gos. ■.•-and -spread ■ ov6r "the.-" 1 whole;- brigade. : -'fro'itv so as to--takeK ; in .'tho : (iuitrrie's''on'. , We>left; into" which'the- 'Germans' •. /.now, flocking; to:' resist' -the, attack'' •;in ;,tnis: .qnarter./.;'--=-EvSrytmng 'c'oiild- be" ,'.r. seen,'.-from oio i-battalidii*"-'headquarters;. where'the;c6mmand'ilig'ofiiceih eat-"out in, ' open on high-'groiind^ide'a" road, : . was- riot*in Sig but ! to''safeguard ;hi|, . - further:--advance.', 'One 'Company^-^was .; -sent. for.ward.*;witt'.'this'.object;"oiitf as !.',-«opn..as '.the Germans- saw' thatvC-hr- Jheii! •meant busings they;i'anr. back again: up . ..-.the .-hi}l;... .Qur. iL««ris..gunnet9<'and'- . ■ ;.?nen;got-on t6;them';pron'iptly,"(ind':sohie! of' : the;,G.ermans.;didcaiotsget' awayftoick-' ly enough. : " :;i .'-- The-.advance .was; no.w purely ;a" mat..'i.'ter of; open ..warfaW;- -The men moved j.-forward- vin -.urtillejJv formation;- newss' ,- vjl>o r - open,'"taking,-.advantage- of.-, the'-' de-! • ,;=jiressions,,inithe graurid- and-what &':ght -■coyer; the. :; c.puntry-;-afforded,^;.-:The> staff/ - and-.:.galloped-; iv;ross • ; .;cpuntry ,to ;hurried cbhfece.iiceg. i.-tffi"' cers galloped back with reports-fit- a l ' . ..situation,.-and; galloped.: fonyard again ... ,"with : .orders." The.-hattle • went on ■■ ac.cording the ,book7ra>.thmg (liat'mod- - «m Rattles; .rarely:., d0.,-.,;"..'N0j ,time',.was ••■ -- "me.. ; .; The tlirilL jof -it nerve ~ o,iir men, to .greater effqrts.- ~ - -.. '• ' ith'eyvdiad. 'gone- some distance ~'.enemy..,artillery cariie tp, en;d"eavpiu;„fo. stop,,the;-.advance; :A;-.cap- .,• ; tain'..was.-ywounded, andv.ihere.iwere ,a 3 ; '„!few cas.ualties )l ,J)ut f flnce.,the. railway;.!wafi; passed the,>cbnmiarid , ; m!^riaged. : to : -dodge' -nearly aIL-, the. sliellin^ r ,'-, : The ' enemy' thought our troops would oome down the valley run'niig-'lv'ith;-thb.;railway ( andtie shells "that ground "'steadily. Hadour men inarched that way there would' haj-e been .heavy,. casualties, but, "they ; )v'e'rit!' across' thV valley, -ii'i; artillery for-.- , . ' mation," and so re--i . i to;'"'d"'ifiininiuin.;' .While'..one 'com-; \ .outflanking, the";quar,i;'y," ate-' .; -.other cdnipftny -$(&';. mished.' .bn 'the'village of 'Viesly, ' £9 urs ® B9t A . ]$th one:.; 7/nVm I ,'','. gun. OppoMtiftn. 'came ,'from a 'tae 1 - • south, which had"not been .to,tKe. Battalion on,theirript.'npt.iiavipg .. jat come.,up;-. ..A'piatbori was,s.erit across i ... the front of this battalion,' an'd:''# qiiiek-' . , i ly dealt! with", the" Bpches,, who, were ",fir- . ing from _the-cemetery,;.wi'th. the result'' ■ rightwere!, then' .. ..able.to advance. •By tliis time tho right' iVtis o:) ;ts final'.'objectiye, wjbioh . wa.s„ a.-Jine,. in, front..of ..Viesly,. on, the' crest of,.a.,jidge',. 'The',;])attalioii'' mander, to use "his "bwn""words, anchored' them-, ihe, pushed-., iip thequarfy-' o'ntffanking" confpariy r iind "closed the concertina", so .-.as .to establish his' . men on his tc/Vi battalion front. To. 6how. hPTCiquiclc. the iadvjnee was it jg•worth ..mentioning,that the objectiyb' . . gained . ( was; : tha'' : 'oDjeetive, laid, down for-. v .the r brigade' 'that , had Jo." pass,, through: .. th.ese. troops, that 'night.". It ..was' a'.' splen;: .. .did advance,.'creditable, to ; all concerned,"' " Towards the Selle. At dusk'-we 'pu'she'd-ori-'anotlier thoiir sand yards towards the. .village of Bri-" . astre.i o'n< the Selle/a small fiver with a railway, and high, ground beyond. Thore were indications that the enemy would 'make some sort of~a : stand'here;, Oiir' ..-troopsigot'.to'.the line of a sunken '"on'the. edge^tV-the l "village, ,maii)ly K 'with ': a view toiprotectiiiff-the left:flank''of the' • division on" our right/ which ,'came :leyel • with us.at 8 o'clock that evening. Therb these South Islanders dug in till thej were rolieved later by. the' North Islaridji erß- ■ • .ii ' ' I have ' dealt' with these f''bJieMtions 'some'what in detail in order to give an '/-idea'of the; changed'jnature of the'fights , -. ing- iri ivHich : w_e;liaT6''te'defltly?-beehjen-' ' : gag6di -aid ■ -adaptabil-

ity our 'troops in dealing with a changed situation: rlt remains only tobe' said that such,, a situation had been foreseen by . the 'Divisional, Command, and that the. men, when offered,' received 'special training in 'areas further bac,k in "order that they,-might be able to acquit themselves with at. least'.-°a! fail- "hleasurfe of' success. • Expectations were perhaps more than justified by. results; "'The scouting, work was par-' ticularlyrgood.-- j. .v..'- . One feature of the operations pis.thnfc the' chokers were' taken right. - up., into the fighting area, so that the men gof; hot meals. r On. the.'mftwing of the .3th,, for instance, ijvhen .we-were to attack at •1.30' a.m.; taken across, the cann(,7an4 ; .'at 3.'o'clock in the morn ; ' ing thS'nieri liad'a'hot breakfast—rather an- early breakfast 'jt is true,"but''the': truth of the Napoleonic maxim holds today asji.it a,did lujfliidred >\years ago;; The men had hot. sojip and rissoles, and then, the., cookers.: were '.sent .back across, the bridge, to get them out of the way., of possible'shelling; The same thing' happened bn the ltllh. The cookers followed. the troopa:right' up t'o the rear: of the-ppsitioii'at'the'Cambrai-Le -Cateau': Koad.. ... ' .There-',were.no.t . outstanding, incidents "in' such' fighting 'as thisj where all our-officers-ai\d men engaged reached - a higj^ v g_iaiidard ..of general excellence, bU , C''nn v 'fmusing ;i.hqident 'that''"for the' moment relieyed'-tlie tragedy: 0 f the war; may be'related";--Afr : one stage 'of tlioadvance > a;-'drunken :iiEVin of- the 402 nd was: found Jsnipingl with uncerr, tain aim at our fellows, lie was taken prisoner arid' marched > ttf' - Headquarters,, where Jie-, persisted in'singing: Hunnish. songs to tlio -.battalion commandeiv..,,Thelatter booted- hjiu. oJF, -but he continued, his musical efforts, which were comical in the cxtreiri'e' : 'ifi sii'ch' a a'p-, parently witli a ■ view to impressing tlio, adjutant.' The-adjutant pushed -him off. to brigade-: liead.quarterß.'-V By the time' lie'had arrived there hs had become coi.Kererit,' and ;'the •Intelligence. Department got (iuite a lot of. useful .information out, of: him, "In vino' Veritas" applies in. war;as well as-in-peace.

'SOLESMES TO LE «. BRILLIANT ADVANCE OE 'SOUTH? iT ,ISLANDERS.; ' 'Titf;. "■';octpb°r"26, iois' '/. \Tlio . bnlliajit 'advance of .the ' South' Island-Brigade/from a .line ,in front 'of, . Sole?nies; t;o;the' high ground'wdst o£ Le Quesrioy.deserves'a fuller' report 'than-' J I 'liay'e been able.'to. give; liy cable.' ..-The', /fight.ing^yi..connection . w.ith this advance.' the morning - of 't'lie , As'' Englisty;di'i ; |sibri vtere- >in'-front of! us/! Th'ey bifid/been .in the, line, for/a*"liar', Mis,, and, starting'; off; under a' barrage," :.£hej'' ifew, secured the, limited objective' i'/JiUofted.'to :theni.''m.!front of and to."the northeast One of .tlio Otago'; '"battsjlioiis,. .which "liad;. a' long,' day's. lighting,/went' through theni. .An ad-" .vance jjiiard from .this battalion went off with the English'.' division, • and., before ..the, of. .tjie/attack .by 'ths. battalion' lliad'lamved.Vsa.w.^about eighty..of,: thC 'enemy in «,position ahead. 'liro'lajicecorpprals,. boldly /advancing, got- ;.thsir. Vibkere guns'round on the enemy/flank; .and,captured .the.Jot. This.wasa good beginning, for this party of: Germans would- ".undoubtedly have given, i'trotiblo. .later. on./ ; " On .the right':the line swung ' 6onth-we^ward,-.towards ' the village of.; Bea'urai.n,' .which the 37th Division, wasattacking, aid'from'which trouble might; .have been, .expected on- the Ne«r;. Zealand* , right,.-flank. ..To minimise 'this, probable/,opposition an .officer's patrol was sept' to-. Tillage'at f 5 a.m., and,! getting/ on'to', high ground, came up.ii'gaiiist; . ft. n ; pos,t. on.; top of. t he. r idso<, ,TE.e* patrol proceeded to deal with ; . this, post, .a'n"^' Rafter! 'a : .steady peppering pyt up! their hands and; sul'rendered. ..Immediately . afterwards.one/pf.".'these :.tf'risonerg shot .'an Otago.. lieutenant,...wounding him in the.-leg yi 'whereupon the subsequent proceedings! in'. > terested this little party of Gerrhans to;.' further.,' • The wounded lieutenant limp-; ;.^' : .bapk('>:.ell; content with the retributive - action-of- his ra(en, and they, not ill-i "pleased' with , this., timely incident, , plus • .the capture bf one machine-gun, remained,to carry on. the. day's,work. . .- . . The Advance Begir* These preliminaries- were,but'the prologue of the,-P.la?:. that 'began with the" imain advance, when, at 8,-iO a:m., the"' : first battaliijK' of the Otagoans •off from tKeip line.. Fronting the small'. 'Tillage? with ita"-'"chiirchV ; ■spire risingrabove: the red-tiled roofs of.! the houses,-was a'stream that'had; t<> be. No: "sooner; hid the".* leading! waves-got over 'this.'obstacle than-they . - began" to- -.be . srtiped' at from the' rear,: i. for,',owing mainly-to preliminary shelling' by.:the'Encmy,' the attack on the right hail.; ' 'Two. sections' were; detaohedrito :attack these snipers,' ;who.'. .shpt-from.a.mbng' the ,t.rees'and t.h<>'hiirh/ grass/on'the other side. Trouble' alsocame, from-"the right between. Vertign'eul and the Crucifix, but this -also was" sue-' ;cessfullyrovercome,:-and in the'process, ; ra.field gun' thai:the"tnemy' had not' time :to get-away :was-'icaptiireH. '' '

; •; Lsiter,- at; the.Chapel of the Six:7?nnds, -.more trouMe :devploi>ed .from the vicinity ~of ajv.Fr.ucifix-.i / A" German n .°sfc.- th". .w.ny op of-tb® NewZealaridfflank.'' -Here, a-fine'ihci-■dent.occurTed.i/Onp of,thi>.Otago bfncet.v .theiground being unsuitable'for i I,ei\'is ; gunipositioniilet-.thff gunner use hiS ; bo<lyi fpr .ii .support,..while he .."took on" 'the iopposition::.!.,Standing, up nractically' in ;tlie; open; :the-officer got the ennner to'. ~T)lafe;.tho,-.Ti'achinf- on 'his' shoulder,'ncl". •.inr-:.tha,t the'dranw were'TfifiV/i'' off.'-.yThe enemy in'the post were al l: iciil-V ,ed orioaptured got'the sun.'There',' ■:mvß some thirty of the enemv iT]g:-tf»-h"ol(l- us. V.p-from Hi at uocitmn;: jSomewhere- abniit cnoon ' thi=- battalioii'! reached ■ its first objective without severe! •losses and-still comparatively fresh - .-"' , Across the St.- Georges, . ••

Oitfithe'Teft, 'during this advance, ,was' ; • a' Canterbury 'battalion. ' They hail , a sliorter* s : distaiice rfo" go, and' they lycre-' .not' So '-much ■'affected by the opposition that came from the right, but th'ey v did ; their woik.,>veil, ; ».vJ'lie'crest of the highground beyond the Harpies stream . hud,now Ahead, the-bare fields6lbiJe'd"d6wn"to' tlie St. Georges, a deepen stream with"'steeo banks, and orchards.and . trees.-giving, cov&r to the cnemj in, the valley and.-for some'distance up the. further elope: ""It was an ideal" position' to defend, and we looked for stiff opposi-.,ti?n-from;,this region: Shortly after noon , tha.-Canterl)nrys;.iiiid the Othgos advanc'ecjr.dowfl; .tfifti slope. ■■ Near tlie centre of our-advance thg .shattered buildings'cif; li large -farm aiid a tall, mill stood besiue s the road' that crossed the' stream. .- * Here tJiBToad 1 was blocked by a huge crater that.'.the.enemy ..-had-blown. With;-the Stirae charge .tlie .strong brick bridge had disappeared ".' Other bridges right and.: left.had' also been-blown. Machine-gun ;!fits;,aibd the, byllets.from the 'snipers',, 'jrifles ciiqi'e'.fromthe .trees on the com;: mriniling ground across .the stream. The ; 'ffl'en;'dasMd > .''j ! .oi ,, ward': to the stream,' \plunging!'in, ,somp 'of them up .to necks;';ah(l,:aripi)ing wet, lushed forward' 'to .st'O'rm,the slope above.. Meantime tliej German machine-gunners were pouting in, ii h6t ifire.v I The'villages on the right hail' Tiot'yfet fen lire continued .to '-co'me"?ri>m "that 'flank'. Near, Ppiit-a-the .farm and the mill were,'we captured-oiie, of our old tanlca 'w4th' the f.German 'black crosses . 'now painted-oi'f it.'". Apparently the enemy had been using it against lis. or getting : it'feady'^for' use'ir one of his attacks. In this'.vicinity; batteries of four-twos and fj've-riincs'we're captured, and also an cight-inch guii. The teams and the personnel liad .vanished. There were (load 'horses 'lilonft'the'roads and in the valley.' ' /The ' foaturo -'of the fighting was 'the fact 'that 'the men went fonvard-so deter-' .minedly and sii steadily behind a thin barrago' and under very fierce machine•gun:fire. r Two companies of the Canter-'burys-liad all their officers except two -put-out of adtion; but still fought on with great determination. One company , officer was-wounded in the face cntly in the, day, but refused to leave his men. Later ho-was •wounded in the left arm, which beonmo powerless,'but, ho still carried on aiid .refused tov be evacuated until the following (lay.' By -evening these Canterbury men had pushed forward to .the .outskirts, of llehudignies.- They went;: 'Ihrough'this'.pretty little village on ••no St. Georges Kiver in the moonlight. The Bodies had evacuated the village, but riow came trickling, baok. . It was at n ..bridgehead on. this river that ,one of our was. killed. He was shot, in-.the -head by-one of'a- German patrol coming* down .the main street, In the gloom of, ..night ha miStctok the patrol for somo :f, ,'oiir own. men:. There irjsre no. civilians 'found in this"village. though thero '.were ovidences that they lad been in* recent

occupation. During' the 1 day ■••our;' ! 'n:«n. had seen r the miemy's -limbered' wagons' clearing out-of TJeaudignies. • -

.Fighting.- -, With.the Canterburys ,in this part of the advance were somo O.togoahs. '"They enpie up jtb an'otber C'tago battalion at flight minutes past ..twelve, and four minutes,later .th?. second .barrage .came, down .and they started fighting their way ahead.;. They, encountered machine-gun fire frpni.the directiion.- of,,Saleschns. on' their right rear. Th'ey took Le llesuil l l 'arni 'near. the .river "with, some prisoners';' ' '• About fite o'clock' in - the "evening •as the Imttalion 'commander's'groom was Tiding forward with'.his rifle slung he came suddenly upon a German battalion - ' commander with thirty' men. } The officer'rasked. the--groom to take'them pris- • dyers;• and -the-Matter' obligirig!y'"compiie'd,- handing .''the'"'bunch - over'l'ater to an Otago corporal: •'•. • - A- line oF wire 'rgn 'from Salesche's' townrdsil'onb a Pieri'eM'aiid hir<S!',«i','platoon sergeant did 'a' plucky "bit 'of : wortHe crawled ahead. with his I,ewip guu. section behind "the r . lielt ; and .found the Germans' ."'distributed in three',.main posts. The New. Zealaiiders opened fire at fifty yards ,range; and, soon tliere,:.wns' 'h cluster of. between fifteeh arid twenty Gernibn' dead there.' . 'Following this destructive .fire'thfe New Zeilanderk iush,ed ,the ; 'i)6at3 and captured', 'sixteen o'f the •Germans''lvhb 1 still remained alive, ' liy this' action the position was turned', anil another , coifiixiny enabled to ; get '' up. : ; Passing through tlio wire these; 'advanced along if and 'captured about, a hundred: ■and fifty prisoners.,'• .A'fine'bifcb'f VoWc. ■was. accomplished in swinging round so quickly to this 'flank.Tho''mfcri' dug in facing th,e"flank.The objective, on. top oi" tlife ridge" was : gained, at 12.15 p.ml— 'qui'cb'work "under the L circumstances; ; . Ecaiilon Bridgeheads Stormed; :■! Away ahead jWudigriies and the Ecaiilon; Eiver blocked „our path'waj; and, seeniejl;" indeed, formidable obstacles.'.'.The enemy had', been" blowing up roads and' bridgeheads,. arid .it' 'was especially. iniportant to get some bridges .icros's this ,7'iver. if. full success was to crown 'the day's: work." Looking at'the position on 'tlie- tiisfc difficult, but worth .a 'veriture); and .late . that ■evening the general 'oflic'eifr commanding' rang up the brigadier arid 'risked': Kim, -if file situation permitted, to make'the at-, 'tempt. '■'The 'Word tvas 'passed'' 'bri' to. the battalion 'cbmiriahders,: whb'\ ''at' : once •jumped'at 'the ! 'eh'ance of rounding off the attack, so"*successfijlly: , Cfl'iltei'b'tSry' and Otago-'- companies'- were told off- to;- do the: iob> "K; Was i already dark, "and SO■ there Was'' no;'' opportunity to -recoirioitrfi: the; '-'ground, •' but map'' bearings, 'wefe takeli aiM thei'rten went on. '-To get' to therirtr they had stiM'about a'thou-, 'sand'yards to tW'and'their'orders l '- ndt: only / to : : makefile bridgeheads''but ''also the''high' grOtind- h thousand (yards ahead''across' the'-river; 'All this they.' did; s meeting•' with- littlo opposition','' for all but "a" 'few of the' enemy: had. -goije. "Two 7 Germans, ■' strolling, nbnfh'alahtly •through"' the village; '-Tverer-surprised' jtp. "find the' New' and,'not , unwillingly; earned back -as: ? prisoners; Othe'r'ißo'ches were: sten.-later advancing with-wagon's, evidently- with the idea of. blowing mp the bridges,' 'but: they :were quickly driven off. '-/ ....... 1 '.

~....." Enemy! Hoists, the. .Vy.hite . Flag.;;. ,' 1 '" Next'morning; when" the troops ori'the 'right' came':' level' 'with'-them-, -our--Jnen. forward io'n'ce/.mqro',''-a.hri, -running.' "'across-;a-.party' of; about 'eighty - of; 'the-;eH£riiy,':-niade luosf of thbm - ' prisoners'.,. ;o'n : theleft 'front- were' some Germans, li'hat"' appeared : tb/be 'practice "trenches. 'AVith Lewis' guns'-' the'-'-New Zealimders' killed ,betwie'n''' twentff' 'arid thirty of 'these,' ai)d".ovo'r seventy others,at' the!head, of ' whom "were three officers;' .put lip the white 'flag, hnd surrendered'.-' ,Their instructions had been ;to hold'- on ' ; to'"',jha!l'bst'-minute.. .Discretion rather !thari valour was 'the. quality dictating the ',interpretation, of' the ofd.gr ,as ..to what -actu'allyj.^'as..'.'the' last. minute"!..; Fcf •these - troops thp ,-remainder ?of-. the;', day' was ..spent', .in ..pushing on -.through the'-.-farms:'dn..--.Fort'. Martin' arid Beart, . Two' 1 - ■ French •; civilians' .were ..'found hiding in" .one :.of•' thp-'cellars. .They came out and.--kissed' ..their ..New;.' Zealand;. - deliyerersy -Some- timeiiwaa '.spent.in. clearing - out- a* copse., aJid orchard. ' From', these. r ,qaTno >mafchiiie-g,un fira jindj.snipirig, .that-iillcd •three .'of our- brave-'runners.-. Two..were;' iStaff "'thrtfugh • the hiSa'd"Hnd;'one' through; ; the;heart: -Oil••'the--"left- these! -Otago. linked;up with .Canterbury. men', leVel wifh'tho oulskirts of- Le Ques-. hoy'bri the west.' : Of'late there have been'-dlear evidences 'that 1 tW'eriemy, is feeling tft'e-'want both of''guns "and .ammunition.,. 'It* is 'possible, !that\'lt is '1 Vartly';in' o;<ler to"'iriakb; up " these* 'deficiencies' "thhjt^' he "vva'nts so ujrHenily'.an armislice. v 'lii the. advance be.Vond .the ■ Hinde'nbuirg ; Line we ' have .'•ot gi'nafly.'.sti'ffered. from 'TiiS .artillery ire. ' But in .tiiis "Hay's fighting ■quite a number of guns defending , a.| ■position : that he-knows-full-well is vital ■ t'n his "further satisfactory; retirement in-' this locality. Our axlvmcing troops therefore--sufferod'-.-more'than the usualamount:. .of., shelling,. , Engineers ~and. Tunnellers, At last the day of the engineers has ; : arrived;', 'TKey have'ftfr Tears.been car-" rying about -with 1 them -all. the material for pontoon' and'other" bridges, such as; would be necessary - in "any Mpid- ad-; vance.- .'Eecently-the New -Zealand Engineers. have .done.;fine'.work ,in.,bridgingy .streams ,and canals. ..-.The-day- we' Crossed the-St. George's'th'ijy. were already' getting -their'material, up, arid- ;neit. day I fame upon- a-.'section-.in.-,command of a,lieu-; ■tenant who .in;"'pfivatfl." a,.civil, rengiiieer r-in-, Canterbury,..;busy.' .making: ways across/ the■ stream :• for,'guns. rand ;limbered wagon's, .-.They..did'.their.work with niarvellous expedition,. ■ They are, however, proudest of. their, feat in.build-. irig' : a"tanlc bridge" acros3 : the' Selle. .It-! Syal':/a .. bridge of ;1.2 ';x 12 timber, " with 12in. s^eeil' -joists 6pan ; . Tho 'reconnaissance for ■ this "bridge was made.while the enemy were shelling the "valley and the: machine-gunners -were-only,', some four or five vhundrfid,;yatds," away. ~\One.: -man','was,-.killed' during the reconnais. ■ 'sancei -The.i bridge: was -.completed and ready for t -trafSc:vin-thirteen hours, which must<"be just: about a-record performance., I hear-also? that our-, tunnellershave, been distinguishing themselves at bj-idge building; ibut'they are so; far away , that I have aoUbeen,, able., to visit them :to get partfc'ulars of'theit'work. -