15TH. ANNIVERSARY

Taranaki Daily News, 8 June 1932, Page 15

15TH. ANNIVERSARY

BATTLE OF MESS INES SUCCESSFUL ATTACK. PART 'PLAYED BY ANZACS. The Allied Powers at the end 0f1916 had decided upon a definite sen operations for the year 1917, the ch of of which was to be the french offensive on the Aisne. It was hoped that th s attack would prove decisive and all Bi tish operations were therefore to I subsidiary to it. In the event of the Nivello attack being a f or the French army in no CODd ’ t,on A/ further offensive operations for some time to come. Hence the British opeiation assumed a special importance in ■ Tlie main operation which had been .planned for 1917 was the Thud Battle of Ypres. But immediately■ south or Ypres the enemy was .in possession .of the Messines-Wytschaete ridge, from which he commanded Ypres, the Salient and the valleys of the Lys and Dottvre. It was therefore necessary, to secure this high ground as a preliminary to operations further north, and t°.9 e l ler ® d (Plumer and the 2nd Army this task was allotted. GERM AN ORGANISATION. The German defences in this area were highly organised and consisted _o two trench systems on the high groiliia with two more in rear on the reverse slopes of the ridge; As (so much appended on the success of the Messines operation, it was prepared with a thoroughness never excelled. Numerous mines, involving five miles of galleries, were constructed under the German defences and from May 11 onward, our artillery became increasingly active against the German forward defences and wire. On May 21 the preliminary bombardment began in earnest. , At 3.10 a.m. on June- 7 the battle commenced with the simultaneous roar of exploding mines and the crash of our artillery placing an intense concentration on the German forward defences. At the same moment the infantry of the three corps, taking part—from the right, 2nd Ansae, 9th and 10th Corps commenced their advance, The attack was to take place in two phases., The forward divisions were to secure the Messines-Wytschaete ridge, and the reserve divisions would then pass through them and take the Ostaverne line. GALLANT ACTION. (By midday the first phase had been successfully accomplished. The- New Zealand Division had been given the task oi Rapturing Messines itself and had carried out its task with hardly a pause. On the left of 3rd (Riffe) Brigade a slight check had occurred, due. to some machine guns firing from the ruins of a small village, But this had been overcome by the gallant action, of Lance-Corporal (now Captain) 6. Frickleton, who, rushing through our barrage, fell on the guns’ crews with the bayonet. Single-handed he disposed of the two gun crews, permitting our advance to continue, and, incidentally, winning for himself the Victoria Cross. A long pause now ensued till 3 p.m. in order to consolidate the ground already won and to prepare for the final phase. During this period a determined counter-attack developed against the New Zealand Division, but our artillery and machine guns smashed it utterly, Shortly after 3 p.m. the artillery opened for .the final act of the day and the troops detailed for it moved out against the first of the German rear lines. By 5 p.m. the Oostaverne line was in our hands except for & short stretch bn the right. Here confused fighting went on for some time, but early on June the situation was finally cleared up and everywhere the 2nd Army was in possession of the objectives planned for the Battle 'of Messines.