RAID BY ANZACS

Nelson Evening Mail, 1 August 1916, Page 5

RAID BY ANZACS

SUCCESSFUL ATTACK. BOMBS AND REVOLVERS.

"A HOT TEN MINUTES."

Sixty men and five offcers attached to Anzac 'battalions at the front 'began a week's special leave in. London recently in celebration of a very successful raid they made on the German trenches on the* night of June G. This is how it happened, as told! by one of the raiders, who is supremely happy in the possession of a German helmet and a slightly wounded hand. "You can imagine," he said, "how pleased we were to get the opportunity of a raid'. The Canadians are adepts at it, but it was our first' chance: We came up into the front line trench during the evening, "About eleven o'clock "our artillery and trench mortars opened fire to clear the harbed wire, and 15 minutes later lit .was 'up and over' for us. The guns were still firing with lengthened range, and they formed a curtain, of fire for us all round the flanks and to the rear of the bombarded sections. We had to lie out in the open just in front of the j ■German" trench for a long time until our I fire l-'fted. Then we made a dash at th e double for the trench. The wire was all down, hut there were any number i of craters, and some oft us fell head over heels into them.

"Captain was the first imlan to jivm>p into the German trench. He cam© down right opposite a dug-out. He flashed his torch, audi saw a German. Ho hooked him out b the scruf of liis neck, and literally pitched' _him over the parapet to the waiting prisoners' party outside. Then we divided, and took* the trench right and left._ It was very hot for ten minutes, chiefly with bombs and revolvers, for there's no room for bayonet work.

"Just as suddenly >as we started so wo finished. We left our cards in the German dug-outs, fine and comfortable they were, with candles hurning and blankets crumpled just as the Germans had left themi when we came along. We were ■about 10 minutes there, and 1 then back wo went". That was the worst part, crossing •ssTo Man's Land, for the enemy hegan to recover' andi started firing. Our .prisoners -were scared to death, and' they thought they were going to die. Our only casualties were just as we reached our own trench, when a. shell burst.close en us, and a,bout 10 fellows were hit, the majority, fortunately, not serious--I."—N.Z.H crald. . *