NEW ZEALAND DIVISION

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10090, 2 October 1918, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND DIVISION

VERY FIT AND STRONG EVERYTHING HAS GONE EXTREMELY WELL. The Hon. Sir James Allen (Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Defence) has received a letter, dated Au. gust 9th last, in which Major-General Sir Alexander Godloy (general officer commanding the New Zealand Forces on the Western front) states:—The Division has had practically no fighting at all since Passchendaele last Octobei, and is therefore one of tho divisions which are strongest and fittest in every way; and. now that the tide has turned and we have regained tho initiative, I hope that the opportunity of using it and all the other good divisions in pursuit,of .the Bosche will come soon. I was very sorry the Now Zealand Di-, vision was not with me when 1 was down in the Champagne, and that the only New Zealand representatives were a squadron of the Otago Mounted Rifles, the Cyclist Battalion, the New Zealand members of my staff, and the Area Employment Company. But they all did extremely well, and it was a great thing after all to have that amount of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force represented. The Otago Mounted Rifles and the Cyclists did excellent work. . . . We had quite a different kind of fighting to what it has been hitherto; and eventually it became open warfare, attacking in extended order, the batteries supporting the hattalionsV'and’bWgades of artillery following up and supporting the infantry brigades, and the whole thing very much more pleasant in every way. . . . Of one thing you imvr ho quite,sure, and that is. broadly speaking, everything in connection with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force has gone extremely welt, and W«S are quite satisfied with all that has been done for us.” Complimentary reference to the work of the small New’ Zealand force engaged in the Champagne sector . was made in an order of .the day published by the French Army Commander under whose orders ■ General Godley was acting. "• ' '•