A LETTER FROM FRANCE

Evening Star, Issue 16626, 8 January 1918, Page 2

A LETTER FROM FRANCE

THE FIGHT AT PASSCHENDAELE RIDGE. , A. Momington boy, writing to Ids father from Franco on October 22, says:— After the advance on October 4 wo had about six days’ spell out of the line in a quiet place, and moved up to -hi motor lorries.' Had tea there, 'and after being issued with bombs, Hares,, etc., we hit tiio trail for tho positions wo were to occupy for a day and a night before the attack on Passchendaelo Ridge on October 13. At 6 p.m. wo shifted up to our forward positions, ready for 6.25 a.m. on the 14th. A few hours after rain set in, and continued till morning, and wo hopped over with overcoats and oil sheets on. It was a miserable night, and I was glad when the guns opened up.-’ Our battalion formed tho front line, and our objective was a position 700 yards away, halfway down the other side of the ridge. First, Otago were to take the objective another 700 yards away, and Canterbury’s was tho final objective, 2,000 yards from Hie starting place. To sura up tho situation, we never reached the top of the ridge, so deadly was the fire from machine guns and snipers. As in previous stunts, we all thought it would be a case of follow the barrage and dig in. Such was not the case, as tho barrage was poor, and missed tho barbed wire and pillboxes, which were tho means of our failure. Imagine four concrete pillboxes on top of a ridge, a deep trench with, many snipers, and a groat depth, of uncut barbed wire in front of the pillboxes. Before Hie advance had gone 200 yards a deadly machine-gun fire met us, and men and officers fell fast. Mesh and blood cannot advance against a hail of bullets, and we were held up. Many of us were within bombing distance of the pillboxes, but to go any further was hopeless, as great depths of uncut wire was placed directly in front of us and between the pillboxes.

It. was here that many lost their lives, as the shooting was absolutely point-blank, Tiie head and tho heart were aimed at, with all too deadly effect. When wo saw that the lino was held up, we quickly buried ourselves in a shell hole, and stayed there till dark, after which we moved back about 50 yards, reorganised, and dug in. The ground was so wet that before 4ft had been dug water fitted up the trench. One thing was responsible for the failure; that was the fact that the wire was uncut. The weather no doubt in a way was also a means for the'non-success of tho stunt. Needless to say, we lost many officers and men ith the brigade, and tho wounded had a rough timer—that is, those who were unable to walk but, as dozens lay out in the rain all night before the stretcher-hearers got them away. Fritz had a fair number of casualties too. Next morning three Huns ranic over with a white flag up, and our fellows went out to meet them, and a truce was declared so that the wounded could bo got in.

Nearly all day our stretcher-bearers wore engaged bringing in th© wounded, and by darkness the ground was clear. To give you an idea of tho conditions, six men carried a stretcher to the dressing station, a distance of 400 yds, and the trip usually took about an hour and a-half. ■We had six days on that sector in all, and were never so glad when the relieving troops arrived. Tho conditions were awful—mud and slush up to your knees, rain, no sleep, and little tucker. However, wo are now in a quiet,place, out of the way of shells, etc., and but for tho absence of so many well-known faces, the stunt would be in a way forgotten. Major Turner, in command of the 10th Canterbury Company, was killed while leading his "men. A finer man one could never wish to meet. It was men first, himself afterwards. Our padre and doctor had an extremely busy time, and worked like Trojans. Perhaps you will know the former: he is or was the Rev. Mr M'Lean, from Tedding. I think, or Auckland, and has been with the battalion since it was formed, and is held in great esteem by all. At church parade this morning he made reference to Major Turner’s death, and to the casualties in general—a kind of “in memoriam” service. Yesterday we were paraded, and our brigadier. General ilraithwaite, spoke a few words, and made reference to the stunt. He said that we had performed what no others could have bettered, and endured unthinkable hardships. He -said that the Commander-in-Chief, General Plumer, and those directly connected with us, were highly satisfied, and deplored the casualties. The brigadier is an out-and-out soldier, a man, and a real father to the boys, and one who is not afraid to speak his mind. Tho men never got roared at by him; it is always the officers who “ stop the blast.” The night wo came out of the line wo marched, at least straggled, a distance of two miles, and to give you an idea of the state of the ground, it took us three hours to reach our destination. On arrival there wo. had a cup of tea, biscuits, chocolate from tho Y.M.O.A. hut. Next morning wo had dean changes, and after another night and clay wo hit the trail for a camp. Wo spent five days there, and entrained for , a distance of 30 miles, and after marching a mile or two reached these billets, where we reckon to spend a fortnight. During the last few days wo have had several reinforcements. and are settling down again. Our company came out of the stunt with 60 men and two officers. Others were not so fortunate. Jn two companies in onr battalion all tho officers were killed—three in each. The weather is getting wetter now;" one must expect it. I am sitting round a fire in the house, in the bam of which wc arc billeted. Mails are evidently delayed; have had no New Zealand letters for a month. I cannot let this opportunity pass without mentioning ■ tho work; of the Y.M.C.A. Everywhere we go, near the firing line and away from it, a little white board with the Y.M.C.A. letters and a New Zealand fernleaf meets tho eye. In the huts, marquees, or “bivvies” one can get a hot cup of tea, cocoa, biscuits, writing paper, etc., for a nominal sum. More often than not it is free, especially near the lino and under shell fire. The morning after we were relieved at Passchendaele tho Y.M.C.A. representatives came round and distributed freo biscuits, tins of cigarettes, and chocolate, and I cannot say how much they were appreciated. Before we entrained at we had a repetition of this, and again at ——• a cup of tea and a pocket of biscuits. This will give you an idea how tho money subscribed in New Zealand is. used by the Y.M.C.A. people on our behalf. Anyone who has money to donate should do so through the Y.M.C.A., as the men benefit directly by it and get the most out of it.