AT MESSINES

Evening Star, Issue 16529, 14 September 1917, Page 1

AT MESSINES

A Port Chalmers boy who is a motor ambulance driver, attached to the NewFourth Brigade, writes interestingly 0 f the taking of Messines. The letter states that it is merely a few lines to say that the writer, who previously had Gallipoli experience, is still going strong. "You will be surprised to hear," he writes,' "that I am in France. I was a little surprised myself, but it is all right, so far; getting plenty of work with the cars. You will have seen in the papers about the big battip that is in progress here. I started out on Thursday morning about 7.20, and knocked off on Friday afternoon about 2 o'clock. During that time we '\yctq running between and .On Thursday afternoon we were sent to the regimental aid post to collect, and we had a great time, getting to it, dodging traffic and shell holes. Although we kept a good lookout for the aid post, we kept on • until I thought it time to ask whereabouts we were. The shells were now bursting about us, and our first-line trendies were threequarters to a mile ahead of us. Wo were told we were a mile bevond the aid post, so we had to turn round as best we could and get back to it. The road was now in such a. state that we had barely room to turn; but we did manage to get back, and everything in the garden is now lovelv again. Wo were the only ones to get up so close, and it was a little bit more exciting than running on the other job. I don't know whether I have told too much, but will now close."