NEW ZEALAND DIVISION

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9758, 6 September 1917, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND DIVISION

WINNING GOLDEN OPINIONS LETTER- FROM GENERAL GODLEYi READ IN PARLIAMENT. The following extracts from a lofted dated July 12th, 1917, from Lieuten-ant-General Sir A. Godloy to Sir James Allen (Minister for Defence) were read by the Minister in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon:— THE NEW BRIGADE. “Re the new Brigade. Yes, it W quite clear, and wo all quite understand that it will have to he broken up again if necessary, and wo are not to count upon any extra reinforcements for it. I think there is now no question of its being employed elsewhere than in this corps along with the New Zealand Division.” FRENCH GENERAL ENTHUSIASTIC. “The New Zealand Division has been out of the line resting for some time now, and they are all very fit and well. I had to find a brigade to go and work for a French array near here, who arrived very tired from the south, and had to get a lot of work done in a hurry, so. X selected the Now Zealand Rifle Brigade, and sent them off. Testorday I visited General Antoine, who comands the French Army, and you will be giad to hoar that he. and his staff were most enthusiastic, about the work they have done, and the way they have behaved, and alto- ; gether they have earned golden opdn-, ions. I saw Fulton and some of his. commanding officers and battalions, and they all are enjoying the change, and it is a great experience for them to be so thoroughly identified with, and sandwiched in with, the French. SPORTS AND RECREATION. “Phigge has been most useful and indefatigable in getting up boxing competitions, sports, and recreations of all kinds for the division while they have heed out of the line, and it has done them a world of good. “D’Arcy Chaytor has just paid us a visit on his way from England toBgypt, and he and Studholme and Richardson have fixed up various matters for the proper co-ordination of the New Zealand Expeditionary Fore* here, in England, and in Egypt.” VISIT OF KING GEORGE. “The Ring has lust paid us a visit here, and saw representative detachments .of the Division, which lined his route, and cheered him as he pass-, ed. We also had a visit from the Duke of Connaught, for whom we paraded a special detachment of his regiment, the Rifle Brigade, and representative detachments of the others.” MESSINES LINES CONSOLIDATED “We have gradually got our new lines pretty well consolidated and established, and are looking forward to a fresh move in the direction of Berlin. Since 1 wrote 1 have been up to Mossines, and it is a most extraordinary sight, absolutely, flat, paidmore completely pitted with shell- 1 holes and the ground more absolutely broken up than that ou the Somme, which I described to you in a previous letter. In fact, Pozieres and. the other places down there are nothing to it, as in the case of Messines it got the shelling both ways, first of all from us, and ever since from the Boche. I have had to put the place out of bounds and put a ring fence round it, as the Boche shells it so severely and persistently.” STAFF APPOINTMENTS AND THE NEW BRIGADE, The Defence Minister also read the following extracts from a letter, dated June 21st, 1917, to Miajor-General Sir A. W. Robin:— “ , . . , Yes, I have done, all I possibly could to get staff appointmeats for all the Staff Corps officers, except in one or two cases, where it has been obviously necessary for them to have a little regimental experience first. . . . You need have no anxiety about the new brigade. Immediately there is any difficulty about reinforcements, it will, if necessary, be broken ap. But I am glad to say our casualties at the battle of Messines were, so comparatively light, that, for the present., at any rate, there will not h« the slightest difficulty in keeping up the 4th Brigade.”