WAR ANNIVERSARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18521, 4 October 1923, Page 10

WAR ANNIVERSARY.

-GRAVENSTAFfeL SPUR.

HEROIC EFFORT RECALLED.

The sixth anniversary of the commencement of the Passchendaele operations in Flanders falls to-day. In.these operations a , prominent part was taken by New Zealand troops, and in them many Dominion soldiers fell. The offensive commenced on October 4, 1917, /with; the /Battle''of Abraham Heights and Gravenstafel, which resulted in th& capture of a large number of prisoners and ; an advance of about 3000 yards. ; The New Zealanders and Australians occupied the; centre of battle-line from Gravenstafel Spur i and- Abraham /Heights to Brcodseinde and Molenarelsthoek, flanked on: the north and south by Imperial troops. _ The muddy ground in front of the Dominion troops,proved an almost insuperable obstacle. On the level ground the men sank to , their knees, and in -shellholes went almost waist-deep in mud. ; ,;• r, Despite strong / resistance, the troops carried the redoubt-at* Otto Farm, which . .was bristlingwith machine-guns, and ■ at- ■ tacked the- concrete defences at Van Meulart, on the line' between Abraham Heights arid iGrayenstafel.; This / stronghold - fell in; half ,ah ; hour,' and an /advance was made on ? Berlin Farm, above Graven&tafel. Two minutes' attention from Stokes guns brought up by the/New, Zealanders re-" duced the ; fortress,>; every German occupant being killed. ;: Although . the defence of ■ G ravens el; Spur;[\yer strengthened-by innumerable -iroops, these were reduced and the spur and, over 1000 prisoners captured. All the New Zealand regiments were represented in the attack. / ■'•■■: ■■ iL ii.. ii . ' i Hum .■