ATTACKS ON NEW LINE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume X, Issue 909, 23 September 1916, Page 5

ATTACKS ON NEW LINE.

BEATEN OFF WITH SEVEUE LOSS.^ OUR LINE ADANCING. London, Thursday. A British official commufiiqme sayß: —"Southwards of the Ancre strong counter-attacks made continuously last night on New Zealanders were beaten off with severe loss to the enemy, who left prisoners and a large number of dead. Notwithstanding the heavy fighting we ad?anced our front in the neighbourhood."

THE FIRST TRENCH TAKEN

NEW ZEALANDERS IN FLERS. From Mr M. Ross, N,Z, Correspondent. September 16. The New Zealanders, who had the honour of being in the new phase of the Somme advance, fought hard and successfully all yesterday, capturing several lineß of German trencheß, and pushing on right behind Flers village, which they assisted an English division to take and hold during the night. Leaving their assembly trench in the early morning the Otago and Auckland Infantry went over the parapet, and took the first weaklyheld German trenches in their stride. Then, pushing on behind a creeping barrage, they went gallantly through the Gerrrian shrapnel, high explosive and machine gun fire, and , captured the switch trench. Some Germans came running towards them, holding up their hands and calling "KameradJ Others flad down hill. Some used the white flag, pretending to surrender, and then shot. Needleßs to say, few of the3e had the luck to be taken prisoners.

This trerch having been taken, the New Zealand Rifle Brigade passed over it, and. advanced close behind a further creeping barrage. The leading waves assailed and took , a trench 1000 yds beyond the Bwitcb trench. Hero one of the armoured land cruisers did good work. In one place it charged through ' uncut German wire.

All this time the Rifle Brigade was moving steadily onward. The leading waves found two lines of trenches and a long communication trench. These trenches they also took. One armoured car charged slowly right into the village in front of the cheering infantry, a scene unparalleled in war. We got beyond this objective but as there were some gaps in the line the men had to be brought back a short distance, and then they dug in. One line was threatened by a counter-attack, but the enemy was beaten back by our artillery, and other attacks were prevented largely by the same means. All night the Rifle Brigade bravoly held on, and even occupied a bit of ground beyond their own area on the right. At the moment of-writing, our supports, which have come up, are taking part in a further advance. The chances of further success seam satisfactory.

Many wounded New Zealandera have in Britain. Sir Thomas Mackenzie, High Commissioner for New Zealand, visited them. He found them cheerful and doing well.