THE MYSTERY OF THE MILL

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 March 1917, Page 6

THE MYSTERY OF THE MILL

TALES OF THE 11.N.D. ON THE ANCKE. Eeuter's Special Correspondent in. France sends the following' tales of adventures of the lloyal Naval Division in the An ere battle :

About forty Germans at Beaucourt having surrendered, the officer called for a volunteer to take them back. An A. 8., the most troublesome character in bis company, at once offered. He pushed the Bodies into some sort of line, and, taking' his position on the rear flank, bellowed : "Now then, away you go; quick march !"

When he turned his party over they numbered ninetv-two.

A "large party of Germans cut off in a trench surrendered. The naval men claimed them, and so did a Highland battalion on the other side of the batch, and the unfortunate Huns doubtless wondered what fate was* being rehearsed for them, whilst a regular squabble ensued. The nava] men, by dint of greater shouting' and shoving, got the lion's share of the bag. A windmill had been eyed with some misgiving by our people, who expected it would prove costly to take. A storming party moved forward, but not a shot was fired; a strange droning sound was heard.

The mill was entered without, opposition, and found to contain a large electric lighting plant, running merrily. Pioneers disabled the machinery, and so plunged all the enemy dug-outs into dark-' ness.

The immediate consequence was a perfect epidemic of surrender.

A great dump belonging to the 2nd German Guards Reserve Division was expected to. conceal ammunition. Instead, it was found to be a veritable emporium of rum, whisky, cigars, beer, clothing, food, and the like, with a whole undistributed mail.

When Colonel Freyberg went # forward upon the exploits which gained him the Victoria Cross he was smoking one of the cigars, so T am told.

"All our wiring parties lmd twelve-inch cheroots in their mouths," a lieutenant informed me.

An extraordinary trade in German helmets developed on this day, in consequence of a brisk demand from some corps in the back area. Pickelhaubou went from 5 to 55 francs apiece, and there was a tendency on the part of the more mercenary-minded to deprive prisoners of their headgear in defiance of orders. When one fat little Prussian ■protested, he was told he might keep his hat, since he'd shown the "guts" to demand it. One petty officer during the Beaucourt fighting went through

our own barrage three times to pick up wpunoed. That means he voluntarily made six journeys to and fro through that sheet of fire.

A machine-gun at the railway station was giving a lot of trouble, and a bombing party was sent to deal with it. The men were falling fast, when an officer dashed in, and with his revolver put the gun's crew out. Although he had his wrist smashed, he carried on for half-an-hour, and then lost consciousness from pain. He was carried to the nearest dressing station; on coming to he insisted upon covering the shell-swept ground to take a message back to brigade headquarters. A Lewis gunner had his pack blown completely off his back. "Well, it was d d heavy!" he exclaimed. Shortly after his gun was smashed. So - he joined-up another.

Through his gallantry two German machine-guns were captured, bearing the inscription, "Berlin, 1913," and turned upon the enemy with great effect. An officer observed a wounded Highlander being carried down a trench upon a stretcher. He was actually on leave, and learning his brother was in the Naval Division, had come over to see him. and to take part in the "shout," rather than go homo.