TRIUMPHANT DEEDS OF NEW ZEALANDERS AT FLERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16344, 26 September 1916, Page 7

TRIUMPHANT DEEDS OF NEW ZEALANDERS AT FLERS

TRIBUTE OF ADMIRATION BY BRITISH CORRESPONDENT SOLDIERS WHO STAND FIRM IN SPITE OF ALL ODDS. BATTLE SURGES BACK AND FORTH FROM DARK TO DAWN. _ GALLANT WORK OF STRETCHER BEARERS UNDER FIRE. Australian end N.Z. Cable. (Received 5.30 p.m.) LONDON. September 21. A thrilling narrative, containing a glorious eulogy of the New Zealanders' bayonet, fighting and of the splendid endurance of tho men. has been forwarded by Mr. Philip Gibbs, the Daily Chronicle'*? correspondent at the British headquarters. The story covers a week's fighting, from September 15 to 22. Mr, Gibbs says that in tho fighting since July ] there has been nothing fiercer or more sanguinary than the hand-to-hand struggles on the left of Flers, where the New Zealanders increased the fame gained by them on Gallipoli as soldiers who would not give up what they gained, and who hold on to ground with grim obstinacy against the heaviest odds. This is the judgment of a British officer who watched them fighting during the last few days. He speaks with a thrill of admiration in recalling the stoicism with which they endured the heaviest shell-fire and the spirit with they attacked, despite intense fatigue, and their rally, though discouraged by loss of officers, which swept back the Germans panicstricken. ENEMY'S DEFENCES SHATTERED BY TANKS. The New Zealanders at dawn on the 15th advanced upon the left of Flers. Two lines of trenches formed part of the famous Flers line. Our gunfire had not cut the wires or destroyed the trenches, and the swish of machine-guns showed that the enemy was alive and savage. The New Zealand losses would have been serious but for the tanks, which had lagged behind, but arrived in time to attack the Flers line in the most deliberate and stolid way. They sidled along the barbed wire, smashing it into the earth, then poked their big snouts over the German parapets, firing from both their flanks upon the German machine-gun teams. The New Zealanders, following, took the double trenches, and pushed on another 700 yds across a sunken road, with steep banks and very deep dug-outs. GERMANS DEFEND POSITION TO THE LAST GASP. The first line of New Zealanders went forward with hardly a, check to the German switch trenches 500 yds distant. They were the men of Auckland. Canterbury, Otago, and Wellington. They put their trust in the bayonet, and had their desire, for the Germans in the switch trench defended themselves to the last gasp. Only four men were found alive after this frightful encounter. It was a fight to the death. The New Zealanders lost heavily from shrapnel and machine-gun fire. Their ranks had been thinned when they faced the stretch of SOOyds leading to the next trenches. The New Zealand Rifles covered the ground quickly in open order, but keeping in touch with each other with fine esprit de corps, which is better than discipline. The German trenches were deeply dug and heavily wired, and proved a great obstacle. The Germans did not stop until they established themselves on a new line running westwards from the top of Flers village, which the English lads had already captured. The tanks followed in pursuit' of the Germans, and drew the fire of a German battery 1500 yds away. The Germans missed the tank, and eventually the British artillery knocked out the battery. SUPPORT LACKING ON BOTH FLANKS. Meanwhile the New Zealand infantry was ordered to swing to the left to make a flanking front up the edge of the valley running north-west of Flers. They did this most gallantly, although they stuck out like a thin wedge into German territory owing to lack of ' support right and left, due to the Englishmen being busy capturing Flers and to fearful fighting in High Wood. In view of the hazardous position, the Xew Zez.landers were ordered to fall back to a line going straight westward from the top of Flers village, which they helped to hold on the nights of the. 45th and 16th. Thenceforward the enemy made repeated counter-attacks. Sometimes these were of feeble strength and were shattered quickly, but they grew in intensity as the days passed, and it was seen that; the New Zealanders were in a precarious position owing to the ness of the left flank. Here the Germans held out in shell craters, enabling supports to drive in a wedge between the New Zealanders and the English troops north of High Wood. A brigade of Germans attempted this, They advanced in six or seven waves unon tho English soldiers, whom they outnumbered two to one. HEROIC CANTERBURY OFFICER SETS A MAGIC EXAMPLE. s The Englishmen met them in the open with the bayonet in the old-fashioned way. The Xew Zealanders watched the fight with enthusiasm until they saw the German ranks broken and the remnant flying. It was a great struggle, but not so long and bloody as tho fight the New Zealanders themselves encountered on the 20th. The Germans struck (he Xew Zealanders at the joining-point with the Britishers west of Flers. The Canterbury men, at the joint, were twice beaten back, and twice regained the ground. Throughout the night until dawn of the 21st there was violent bomb and bayonet fighting. It was not a matter of British on one side and Germans on another. It was a chaotic struggle of isolated bodies of men fighting in shell craters and bits of trench, single figures fighting duels, and groups joining up to form lines, which surged backwards and forwards. The scene was horrible with the crash of arms and the cries of the wounded and dying.

A New Zealand officer, a very splendid and heroic man, was the life and soul of the defence against the counter-attack. There were moments when his men were disheartened because the line was thrust back. The wounded lay thick on the ground, but the officerput new -ire into them, and by the flame of his spirit rallied the gloomy ones. So careless was he of his own life, and so eager were they for the honour of Xew Zealand, that they followed under a kind of spell, because of the magic in him. So the enemy was put to flight down the valley, and the New Zealanders were masters of the ground when dawn revealed the horrible carnage. BAYONETS FLICKER AS QUICKLY AS KNITTING NEEDLE 3. The enemy returned in strong force in the afternoon under orders by the German General Staff at the end of distant telephones, by which the assaulters were practically sentenced to death. They were doomed men when the captain of the Canterburys again led his lads in a great bayonet charge right across the open. The Germans stood, and received the charge with blanched faces. The Xew Zealanders came at a trot, and then sprang forward, with their bayonets moving as quick as knitting needles. The Germans cried out in terror. Those who could escape ran down the hillside, falling as they ran. This * rout ended the counter-attacks. The New Zealanders knew they were the masters, and, seeing the terror of the Germans, muttered " Poor devils!'' The heroism of the bayonet fighters was splendid, but the valour of the stretcher-bearers was perhaps finer. Their duty was to go' across open country,-and in cool blood pick up men. They had to pass through salvoes from 5.9-inchers, which tore up the ground and buried many of the stretcher-bearers, and mangled many others. Till the last the stretcher-bearers went steadily and quietly hour after hour until over 60 had fallen, and carried on the work of rescue careless of their safety. A Xew Zealand officer said: " I'm not a sentimentalist, but the work of those men seemed to me very noble and good." Mr. Gibbs concludes: "This story will be read gladly in Xew Zealand townships and up-country farmsteads. If any words of mine can give a little extra share of glory to these colonial boys, who have come so far overseas, I shall be glad and proud. My heart is very full of admiration for the valour of these men, who fought these ' ,'. ■' great battles as well as any troops who shared the day with them.'* /'. 1 » » *sßa » • ' m