NEW ZEALAND DIVISION IN FRANCE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 303, 16 September 1921, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND DIVISION IN FRANCE

BATTLE OF THE SOMME ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATED BY OFFICERS At 6 o'clock on the morning of September 15, 1916, the New Zealand Division in France went into action on the Somme and distinguished itself in the succession, of battles that were fought. The division formed part of the Fourteenth Army Corps under Genet'll Rawlinson. Accompanied by tanks, which (went into notion for the first time, the Il.ifle Brigade went over the top. The Attack was directed against the German switch line between High Wood and Del■▼ille Wood, across the hill and down the slope and into Flors village, which was 'Captured. The Wellington and Auckland I regiments were in the forefront of the i subsequent attacks. Other units of the ■division were brought up into the fightdug line, and for throe weeks the division was kept busy. It was not relieved until October 5. Just what those three weeks meant to the New Zealanders may bo gathered from the fact that the casualty list totalled 8000. There was heavy fighting in Goose Alley, Guerd Trench, and Factory Corner, where the New Zealanders had to overcome strong enemy opposition.

It was to celebrate the fifth anniversary of this great event for Dominion soldiers that officers of the Army, Navy, and Air Force foregathered at Dustin’s lost .night. There was a fair number present, many with decorations. Colonel R. St. J. Beere, D. 5.0., presided, and hai bn his right Mojor-Goneral Sir Edward Chaytor and on his left Major the Hon. J. G. Coates. Among others present wore laeut.-Commander W. Earnshaw, R.N., Major A. Do B. Brandon, D. 5.0., of the Air Force, and Lieut, and Brevet Captain L. M. Leo, of the Canadian Field Artillery. The toast list was a very short one. After the loyal toast and a tribute of silent respect had been paid to “Fallen Comrades.” Major-General Sir Edward Chaytor proposed the toast of "The Now Zealand Division.” In doing so ho said ' that the work of the division would not bo fully known until the history of the war was published. The main reason for the great success of the division was, of course, good leadership, and next to that was the fighting capacity of the men. One could not help noticing, when the division was alongside other divisions, the enormous difference between the New Zealanders and the others. It , was the only division that was kept up to full strength during the whole of the war. Both these factors made the division a. successful fighting weapon. The Australians suffered very considerably berceuse they never had the men behind them to keep the units up to full strength. What they wanted in this country was men of the type who went to France. Those men had left a great tradition —a proud tradition for sorvioe in the field.

Major the Hon. J. G. Coates replied in a humorous speech. He said that perhaps they had a right to bo proud of themselves, but personally he had several grievances against the division. First of all ho complained that he was taught a lot of rotten Language, and, secondly, h» had met a number of desperadoes who loved' fighting. He gave details of the different forces sent from New Zealand. On the day war was declared the population of New Zealand was something over a million, and the men of military age totalled 243.000, with annual increments of 8000; 1 They sent abroad 104,444 men, and had about 5000 men in training.’ Other toasts honoured were: “Tho Navy, Army, and Air Torce" (proposal' by Major E. ,T. Hulbert, D. 5.0., and responded to by Lieut.-Commander W. Earnshaw, 8.N., Lieut. A. R. Shtlson, M.C., and Major A. De L. Brandon, D. 5.0., M.C.), and “The Mercantile Marino" (proposed by Captain T, L. Buxton and responded to by Captain F. H. Chudley, R.N.R.). The musical portion of the programme was supplied 1 by the Lyric Quartet, Lieut. K. Luke, and Captain D. C. Armstrong.