NEW ZEALANDERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17661, 13 December 1917, Page 5

NEW ZEALANDERS.

CANTERBURY AND OTAGO MEN

AT WORK. TACKLING PILL-BOXES. (Special from the Official War Correspondent.) : Decomber 8. Following the recent attack by men from the Otago and Canterbury Battalions, supported by British artillery, an enemy concentration, assembling apparently for a counter-attack, was dispersed, and tho enemy’s barrage was promptly put down, causing high and severe casualties. Small groups of enemy infantry were also broken by machine-gun and rifle fire. All the evidence points to t«e fact that the enemy lost heavily. Our Lewis gunners and snipers seldom, if ever, had such an opportunity of bowling over the enemy in the open. One man in a few days put twenty-five Germans out of action. Old hands were enthusiastic regarding their opportunities and achievements. One German, sniping from a tree, was brought down by a fine shot at long range. Though tho final objective was not entirely gained, the ground taken and held was a strong enemy position. Some junior officers and several men were killed or wounded in determined efforts to capture strong pill-boxes with machineguns, guarding a ruined chateau that was very strongly held. A captain and a signaller were killed ivlien only _ a few yards off one of tho strongest pillboxes. One particularly strong pillbox has since been ascertained to have held between soventy and eighty men, with four machine-guns. While the Otago men were held up by heavy fire, the Canterburys formed a defensive flank under machine-gun and rifle fire and some shelling from tho front and right flanks. In our new sector the ground is of a sandy nature, that will enable, us to hold winter trenches with less discomfort than on the lower lands that for so long we have occupied on other parts of the Flanders front. Second-Lieutenant C. R. Mackenzie has been awarded the Military Cross for gallantry in the Pnsschendaele operations, during which he was wounded.