THE ARRAS BATTLE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17091, 24 August 1917, Page 4

THE ARRAS BATTLE

GOOD WORK BY NEW ZEALANDERS. LETTER FROM GENERAL GODLEY. (Pee United Pbess Association.) WELLINGTON, August 23. Tho following: extract from a letter from General Godley received by Sir James Allen was road in the House this afternoon:— "Tho Tunnelling Company did very well in tho Arras battle, _ and gained the great kudos of tho other New Zealand units. Our army field artillery brigade was also under my command, and did very well, and I am glad to say the new 4th Brigade also arrived just jn < time for t-ho battle. It was most useful in supplying carrying parties, doing rough work, etc., during the first few days, °i v en a defensive unit of the line, from which it has since advanced a little and taken some German trenches. A patrol from it did very good work last uight, crossing a pontoon bridge over tile River Lys, and penetrating into tho village and bringing back some prisoners. Altogether tho brigade has excellency undergone its baptism of fire. '"I am sorry to say that Colonel Fletcher commanding the 3rd Battalion of the Wellington Regiment, is badly wounded, but I hope ho may be all right.. Colonel Allen is, I am glad to say, almost convalescent. I also managed to get a New Zealand Stationary Hospital up near here before the battle, so that it looked after many of our wounded from the division, etc. "A squadron of the Otago Mounted Rifles of my corps cavalry also did well, and was responsible for tho statement in a German communique that the British cavalry had crossed a ridge and charged, and had been repulsed with great slaughter, fow of tliem getting, back. It "was only a few patrols of the Otago Mounted Rifles which caused such a communique. They galloped to a sniper s post, helped towards capturing a couple of guns, and brought back some useful information. Altogether I am glad to say that thero were a good many 'New Zealand units besides tho division engaged in the battle, and I am able to give you a good account of them all. "Since I last wrote to you we havo had a good deal moro fighting, and I have advanced t.ie front of my corps an average distance of about a mile on a front of about four miles. - Much of this was done, and done well, by tho division. I. will write again and tell you more when things are more settled down."