TAKING OF LE QUESNOY.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1786, 4 November 1919, Page 6

TAKING OF LE QUESNOY.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1918. IBy W. B. SCOTT, C.F.] Not many of the diggers who took part in the closing phases of the War are likely to forget this day last year. The weather conditions were exactly • the same as Canterbury is enjoying at the time of writing. Through the pouring rain on Sunday night the men marched from Solesmes to take up their positions for the attack on the Monday. The journey took about six hours. At about 5 a.m. the barrage opened up. The honour of taking Le Quesnoy fell to the "Dinks" but it was not till 4 p.m. that the town surrendered to the 4th Battalion and with the surrender of Le Quesnoy the Great War as far as the N.Z.E.F. was concerned practically came to an end. The London "Times," referring to the capture said, "Undoubtedly the most dramatic episode was the capture of Le Quesnoy. It is. an old fortified town with ramparts that have stood many sieges. It was held in great strength and the New Zealanders were compelled to draw back from the attempt to storm it frontally. The town was then encircled in the face of determined 'resistance. Leaving Le Quesnoy beleaguered the main body got among I the German puns and carried all before them. All this time Le Quesnoy was still German. Invitations to surrender were refused so that it was decided to resume the offensive in the afternoon and the New Zealanders fought their wav into the streets. It was then mat the German commander made formal surrender of himself and the garrison." The division had been fighting, almost without a break, since the "kick-off" at Hebuterne on August 21. They stormed the outer ramparts of Le Quesnoy in the oldfashioned style with scaling ladders and, gaining the parapet, routed out the nests of machine gunners. The incoming "diggers" were received with great rejoicing bv the residents of the town, and the Town Council, in order to show its appreciation of the work of the N.Z.E.F., have decided to incorporate in the coat of arms of Le Quesnoy the fern leaf of New Zealand.

During the attack on Le Quesnoy I spent a very busy day at Eeaudipnies assisting the wounded at the mnin dressing station and at about 1.30 p.m. the last shell of the war as far as I was concerned whistled over the dressing station and buried itself in the hillside close at hand. The taking of Le Quesnoy was a spectacular finish to a magnificent advance bv the New Zealand Division and few of us will forget November 4. 1918.