NEUVE CHAPPELLE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXIX, Issue LXIX, 20 May 1915, Page 2

NEUVE CHAPPELLE.

AN OFFICER'S It may seem to you that I've been 6ome time in writing, but then I told you that I expected it would be some time berore 1 wrote again. lam very lucny to be able to write to you at ah, as 1 think you will soon understand! You will have gathered from the papeis that there has ween some heavy fighting around Neuve Chapelle, Well, to tell you the truth, men who were in the retreat trom Mons with all it* horrors, who have since fought ar Ypres and La Bassee, are all of the opinion that never was there such a Ddtxie as Neuve Chapelle. On the night ot the 9th our battalion was moved up opposite Neuve Ohapelle m conjunction nith'the rest of tne brigade, and we lay there until n^xt morning. ■'..-• ■.•;;•■ ■ At 7.30 a..huge mass of Allied artillery began the biggest bombardment ever known in the worlds history. It only lasted for thirty-five minutes, but during that time the place was an inferno; the earth literally shaking with the crash .and noise of bursting shells. They shrieked overhead at an awful pace one after another, yet sometimes, without exaggeration, dozens at a time. Needless to say, the havoc was awful amongst the enemy. Punctually at 8.6 the infantry left the trenches and charged with the bayonet, carrying everything before them. The Germans, already terrified and demoralised by the shell fire, after ashort stand, soon broke and ran Tor it> and left the British in possession of three lines of trenches. These gained, fresh troops • passed! through those in possession of, the j trenches and pressed on towards the village. Here very heavy street fight-! ing took place,- for many Germans were billeted there. However/ they .were driven 'out and took refuge'in a wood behind. ' The fign-timg went on all through the nighx.' and for the next day without cessation. The Ghurkas fought side by side with our troops j and during the night cleared the wood. Indeed, ;it was exactly as itHe" chap "!h the "Country Girl" sapg: "They came with their knives For the time of their lives From the beautiful valleys- of Bhong."' I am not going to describe to you' what a battlefield is like; all that I need say is- that no" one who' has not seen a modern battlefield can have any idea of the horror of it. Enough is to say that after ten days of it we are ail thoroughly tired out. Oh the second day of battle I took my platoon up suddenly to the support of a certain regiment, and we were in the main street of Neuve Chapelle when the Germans opened heavy fire on us and turned a machine-gun on us. I was forced to lie flat in the road ! for nearly twenty minutes while th« bullets flew over my head like hailstones. Needless to say, the road was j covered with mud. Still, dirt was better than death. * On the third day the Germans brought tip heavy artillery, and for eleven solid hours bombarded us with Jack Johnsons. They are dreadful" things, and make holes large enough to put a horse and cart in.' " I am? . pleased to .be able to say that during i that awful bombardment" the Kensihg- } tons remained calm and cool, and af- ■! terwards were congratulated by the I General on their conduct. ] If you follow Sir J. French's dis- ] patch when it comes out I feel sure that you will see our battalion mentioned. Well, I have been through one of the fiercest battles in the world's hisj tory from the beginning to the end', j ana I can't say that- I particularly j wa.nt to go through another! I thank God that it has pleased Him to Drin«mp safely through ifc. . ° I saw many prisoners brought in and amongst them was a fine, handI prune officer. He was wounded in the ohpst. but he walked along: with an upright gait, saluting every British officer he met with an air of dignity ! that defies description. A brave man ! worthy of the admiration bestowed on him by all ranks. j In the German' trenches I came on no fewer than fifty dead in the space ,of twenty yards. —Officer's letter in \Y estminster Gazette.