THE ANZACS IN THE WEST.

Otago Witness, Issue 3250, 28 June 1916, Page 17

THE ANZACS IN THE WEST.

(From Mr Malcolm Ross, Official Correspondent with the New Zealand Forces.) WELLINGTON, June 26. A party of picked men made a successful raid on the German trenches. The raid commenced with an intense bombardment for 10 minutes. The guns then switched to the right and left, and were lifted to form a protecting barrage, during which our men darted across " No Man's Land" into the enemy trench. Before covering 20 yards the officer of the Otago Battalion, to whose training and leadership and lino example the brigade owed its success or enterprise, fell mortally wounded. The second in command fell wounded at tho same spot, but the raiders nevertheless dashed on and succeeded in reaching the German trenches, whore they, bombed and bayoneted the few men remaining in it-..

The casualties in our ranks were one killed, five wounded. The officer of the Wellington Battalion, though wounded in the chest and arm, carried on. He did not leave the German trench till all cur men were out of it, and was himself the last man in.

Our artillery fire was most effective, the trenches being breached, and in places levelled in.

■\Ye knocked out two machine guns, and must have accounted for several Germans. The enemy retaliations wore somewhat feeble.

Such raids, while requiring' great courage and dash, are quite minor affairs, and the Anzacs in the firing line deprecate the recent laudation in London of such modest efforts.