THE NEW ZEALANDERS.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 April 1918, Page 4

THE NEW ZEALANDERS.

MEN IN HIGH SPIRITS. HUMOUR. OF THE CAM I’A lON. W]{i.,i«inCtTON. April 4 (Special from the New Zealand Official War Correspondent.) March 27

The New Zealanders are now in great fettle. They are keen to take part in it, and one unit, when told they were to trek south, received the announcement with cheers. To-day I have been watching the different units in concentration. The men look well, are keen, and in good form and spirits, though rather tired with marching. They look forward to some good shooting amongst the oncoming masses of Germans.

Onr men have come in contact with the enemy, and so far have been successful. They have already taken prisoners, and killed and wonnded others. '

March 28 We are all right in the biggest battle in the world’s history. It. is A WAR OF MOVEMENT such as we have never yet seen. Everyone is keen, and the interest is intense. So rapid are onr moves that I have little time for writing at present. Even divisional headquarters staffs have been snatching brief intervals of sleep and food when they can. Scarcely anyone lias bad his clothes or even boots off for three days and nights, but everyone is cheerful and hard at work. Already., much lias_been accomplished. The difficulties of concentration were rapidly overcome. Our troops lilled a gap, and established a front line withont any loss of time. The artillery is now moving up. Indeed, in our own limited sphere we- have

achieved A TRIUMPH OF RAPID ORGANISATION. Some of the units marched 24 miles, and after only a brief spell, lying out on the cold ground without blankets, went straight into action. Not only that; but they have beaten the eneipy hack from advanced; positions that they were endeavouring to hold by machine guns and rifle fire. When oui’ men got to close quarters with the enemy at one place the Huns ran for their lives, except where they had sfciong points with machine guns. Yesterday the New Zealanders .captured over 40 prisoners and 11 machine guns.

Prisoners state that they were told that after they had advanced 15 kilometres they would be withdrawn, and they were going eyes out to do the distance in quick time. They had already done 10 kilometres when they bumped np agnitn-t the New Zealanders. Then the promise made to them was fulfilled, and they were withdrawn,, but it was not to the German side of the line they went. Since then other prisoners have been trickling in. All hour ago j passed between 80 and 40, coming through a village that was eve'ii then under shell-fire. Some of the prisoners are stn rdy fallows ; a few are mere boys. Wherever they had machine gnus they fought determinedly.

There are strange scenes along the country roads, streams of army traffic and villagers hurrying away with their lares and penates on carts, on wheelbarrows, on perambulators, and even on a pole carried between two persons. The}’ are mostly old women, old men, and children. Some of the incidents would be laughable wore they not so pathetic. Yesterday there passed us an old man* driving a cart. Fn the cart > was a calf and an old woman. Tied to the tail of the cart was a cow, and tied to the tail of the cow was the dog. All were marching slowly in line of the guns and lorries in limbered wagons. Never before in the war have the New Zealanders seen anything like it. To give some idea of the - •

CHANGE FROM TRENCH WARFARE,

1 may mention that this morning, on going out to the front with staff officers, we almost drove our motor car into our artillery barrage that barred the way to the village we were making for, We turned into an open held, and readied the village by another road just as two shells, burst right in the centre of it. Shells were bursting in other villages through which we drove. The traffic proceeded without a halt. As we got back to headquarters a shell landed on the road near by. wounding a passing Indian, who marched calmly on with a limp arm and the contents pouring from his water-bottle. )

On our return we found that the New Zealanders had been attacked at noon, but the attack was gallantly beaten off and o;u*.' men stood their ground unflinchingly. Tt was the barrage for this which we nearly drove into. Further attacks are anticipated, and in war it is never safe to predict, but indications are that the enemy MAY STRIKE A SNAG if they do corrte on. Generally speaking— I speak only of our own limited section—the position has been greatly improved upon what it was two days ago. One thing we are all agreed upon—a war of movement is certainly a most interesting war.

March 28 Having advanced to fill a place in the line, the New Zealanders established themselves on the front, and were ready to attempt to stem the German rush in that particular section Too much praise cannot be accorded our troops for what, in the first instance, they have accomnlished under exceptional difficulties. After a long railway journey, they came, some by motor transport and some on foot, the distance to the concentration point. Thence they marched further miles straight into the firing' line, and were almost at once engaged with the enemy. In some instances they did this.

WITHOUT PRACTICALLY ANY REST, proving their great endurance and indomitable spirit. Yesterday the enemy attacked onr line at two places. In each instance the onslaught was met with unflinching courage, aud the enemy were driven oil: with loss. Last night one of our units was again at close grips with the enemy, who advanced boldly and established themselves in a-small section of our line. This morning, between five and six o’clock, the artillery on our front came into action in order to stave off other threatened attacks. Apparently the bombardment had the desired effect, for the enemy did not come on, and any concentration they may have had in the area must have suffered severely, for ,in this open country cover is scarce. Our own artillery performed

A NOTABLE FEAT. After marching between 30 and 40 miles, they went straight into action, and were shooting the same day. Tanks rendered material assistance as we were taking up our line. At the moment we seem to have gained a slight mastery over the enemy, but further attacks ou the line on their part may be expected. The long spell of fine weather, which lias favoured the attackers, has now been broken by cold wind and rain.

March 29. To-day we mourn the loss of another or onr leaders, BrigadierGeneral Fulton, also Brigade-Major Purdy, who were killed ip action through the bursting of a shell. Prompt measures were taken to rescue the victims.

Brigadier Fulton, who had just returned from leave in England, had hurried to the front to take up his command. When he was dug out he was found tb be badly shell-sliocked and unconscious, and he died -soon after his removal to the dressing station.

Brigade-Major Purdy apparently was killed outright. He had already distinguished himself in the war, and was one of our brightest and bravest young soldiers. He had been awarded the Military Cross and the Croix de Guerre, and subsequently gained a bar to the Military Cross.

The weather has again Geared, so that the enemy will not be unduly hampered in getting up their sruns and ammunition. Up to the presentthe front which the New Zealanders have established remains s-cure, ..ml there is no gap through which the enemy can advance unhindered. They will he met with machinegun, and rifle fitv, and a's> wiili trench mortars and ordinary bombs. Yesterday two brigades of the enemy were reported to be advancing in close formation, but OUR GUNS GOT ON TO THEM, and they disappeared into a. valley;, from which they did not emerge. - A farther concentration this morning was also promptly* broken np by T our artillery lire. Tn illustration of the nature of the present warfare, it is worth mentioning that at one part of the British line this morning a general and his

chief-of-staff, with an A.D.C. juid orderlies, reconnoitred the forward positions on horseback, galloping across country close up to our observation points from which they* could closely* examine large portions of the battle area, ft was reminiscent of the old South African days or a ride on manoeuvres during peace time. March. 30. After a quiet night the New Zea-

hinders attacked part of the. enemy front line system this and the result was to straighten out our own line and to obtain 'better points for observation. The troops engaged were from the Rifle Brigade and Wellington and Auckland Battalions. Operations commenced at 2 p.m. with.

a bombardment by our field guns and heavies. In. two minutes our men were “ over the ton,” and five minutes later the party on tile left reported that their OBJECTIVE HAD BEEN GAINED. Our shells hurst with good effect in enemy territory, hut the German reply was somewhat feeble, indicating/ a possible shortage of ammunition or that they had not: yet been able to gel pm much of their artillery. From our right front came a considerable machine gun fire, but this gradually died down and then ceased altogether. Very soon tile Wellingtons reported that they had gained nearly the whole of their objective. The New Zealand Rifles got well into an enemy strong point, but there was a gap on one side, with the enemy iii an intervening part of the trench. A vigorous bombing fight ensued. The Germans stuck it well, but in the end our men proved themselves the better fighters, and tile whole trench was won.

Prisoners began to come back in con. siderablc numbers, indicating COMPLETE SUCCESS ON OUR PART Every German who resisted was killed, and all the others were taken prisoner. By the time the fight was over we had captured 200 prisoners, 40 machine guns, and one light minnewerfer. The total number of prisoners we have taken since operations began is'now 410—a, splendid result for such limited operations.

The enemy were taken hv surprise. Among the prisoners was a forward observing officer, who was asleep when our attack began. Our men are having what they describe as “THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES.” In order to increase tlieir fighting efficiency they came into the battle without packs and overcoats, though lyost of them had their leather jerkins and water-propf sheets. The nights were bitterly cold, and as a good deal of rain was falling they got father wet and muddy.

The relieved men behind the front line present an extraordinary and even ■amusing spectacle. They are clothed in a variety of garments salved from the battlefield. Some arc .wearing German overcoats, others overcoats of the labour battalions who have gone further back, and some are even wearing civilian corduroy. Yesterday one humourist, a gunner clad in - khaki, but wearing a tall silk hat, was unloading ammunition, apparently unconscious of the amusement he was creating. - Needless to say; the Maori Battalion,

whose members are energetically digging in along the support line, are not behind hand in this new phase of open operations. ‘

Officers, and men are in high spirits. One young officer has been distinguishing himself by taking a bombing party complete in detail up German gaps in search of adventure’ in the darkness.

The other night some animal was seVn dimly wandering just beyond our front line, hut before taking any action it was thought, desirable to get a proper identification. “If,” said a second, lieutenant, “it is a bullock we’ll shoot him; if it’s a cow we’ll make her prisoner tfnd- milk her.” The spirit of our men is splendid. Many of them go up from the support line to the front line just TO SEE WHAT IS DOING. ■Biscuits, bully beef, and even fresh meat and bread and jam find their way to the firing line, and the water supply is well maintained. A load of cigarettes has arrived, our mails are coming from London, and altogether tilings are much brighter than what might bo expected.

During what our men humourously describe as “ the retreat from Moscow ” strange rumours flew from end to end of the line. One was that the Americans had taken Ostend. A New Zealand subaltern sent a message to his superior officer to know if there was aiiy truth in it, and promptly back came this reply: “Yes; and we are now marching on Archangel.” Thus it will bo seen that fun and the'characteristics of our men provide an appropriate light to the shade of grim tragedy that is inseparable from any battlefield.

March 31. Last night passed quietly. The sun is again shining, and everyone is elated with yesterday’s success. Reinforcements to fill the gaps made by the casualties are inarching up, and the strength of the force will be well maintained.

April 1. Our total prisoners now number nparly 400, and the captured machine guns 125. The large number of the latter indicated how strongly the enemy hold their front line with this weapon. As the New Zealanders were advancing to fill a gap a British battery commander asked if he could he of any assistance, and on receiving an affirmative reply he

BUSHED HIS GUNS FORWARD and vigorously came into action, thus greatly heartening and assisting our men at a time when artillery support was most valuable. The tanks also gave valuable assistance. When the enemy infantry first saw them they cheered, think tug they were their own tanks, bur, when the tanks spat at them the cheering soon changed to cursing.

It is now no secret thac by filling the gap and holding it at a very critical time, the New Zealanders rendered most valuable service. Our troops are still greatly enjoying the changes ot scene and the novel conditions of fighting Some, when their turn arrived to come back to the support line, even complained that they were not allowed to go on. All are highly elated with the success of tile attack and the number ,of machine guns and prisoners captured. Many German dead lie out along our front, and 250 were counted, as the result of our recent attack. Undoubtedly the enemy were severely punished. The indications arc that we have put two enemy battalions out of action with an attacking force of about half that number, and with no extraordinary loss ourselves. Our front last night and this morning was comparatively quiet. *