THE WAR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12284, 5 April 1918, Page 3

THE WAR.

OVERNIGHT CABLES. NEW ZEALANDERS. In the Big Battle. (Special from tho New Zealand Official AVar Correspondent.) AI arch 27. The Now Zen landers are now in the great battle. They were keen to take part in it, and one unit, when told it was to trek south, received the announcement with cheers. To-dav I have been watching tho different units at concentration. The men look well and are keen and in good form and spirits, though rather tired with marching. They look forward to .some -mod shooting amongst the oncoming masses ol Germans. A Later. Our men have come in contact with the euoint, and so far have been successful. They have already taken prisoners and killed and wounded others. WARFARE OF iIOVEAJENT.

Alareh 28. . ' vp - are all right in the biggest hat tie in the world's history. It is war of movement such as wo have never yet scon. Everyone is keen and Die 'interest is intense. So rapid arc onr moves that I have little time for writing at present. Even the divisional headquarters staffs have been snatching brief intervals of sleep and food when they can. Scarcely anyone has had his clothes or even'hoots off for three days and nights, lint overvone is cheerful and hard at work. Alrcldv much has been accomplished. The difficulties of concentration were rapidlv overcomo and onr troops filled a gap and established a front line without iUI J loss of time. The artillery is now men ing up. l.ndced. in our own limited sphere we have achieved a triumph of rapid organisation. STRAIGHT INTO ACTION.

Some of tlio units marched twciitvfour miles, and. after only a brief.spell ynig out on the cold ground without blankets, straight jiitu action Not only that, hut they have beaten the enemy back from the advanced positions that he was cndoavouriim to ho d by machine-guns and rifle lire. When our men got to close quarters with the enemy at one place, ho ran toi his life, except where he had strong points with machine-guns. Yesterday the New Zealanders captured over fort'v prisoners and eleven machine-guns The prisoners state that they were told that alter they advanced filteen kilometres they would bo withdrawn. They wore going oies out to do the distance in quick tune, and had already done ten kilometres, when they humped up against the New Zoalanders. Then promise made to them was fulfilled and they were withdrawn, but not to Met 'German side of the line. Since them other prisoners have been trickling in. An hour ago I passed between thirty and forty coming through a village that was oven then under shellfi(re. (Some of the prisoners are sturdy fel-f lows, but a few are more boys. Wherever they had machine-guns they fought determinedly. STRANGE SCENES ON THE ROAD. There arc strange scenes along the country road— streams of army traffic and villagers hurrying away with their lares et penates on carts, on wheelbarrows, on perambulators, and even on a pole carried between two persons. They arc mostly old women old men and children. Some of the incidents would ho laughable were they not so pathetic. Yesterday there passed u.s an old man driving a cart. In the cart was a calf and au old woman, and tied to the tail of the cart was a cow, and tied to the tail of the cow the dog. All were marching slowly in a lino of guns and lorries and limbered waggons. Never before in war have the Now Zealanders seen anything like it. To give some idea of the change from trench warfare, I may mention that this morning, on going out to the fiont with stall officers, we almost drove our motorcar into our artillery barrage that barred the way to the village we were making for. We turned on to an open Held and reached the village- by another road, just as two shells hurst right in the centre of it. Shells were bursting in other villages through which wo drove. The traffic proceeded without halt. As we got back to headquarters a shell landed on flic load nearby, wounding a passing Indian, who marched on with a limp arm and the contents of his water-bottle pouring out. ENEMY ATTACKS, On return we found that the .New Zealanders had been attacked at noon, but the attack was gallantly beaten off and our men stood their ground unflinchingly. It was the barrage for this that wo nearly drove into. Further attacks are anticipated, and in war it is never safe to predict, but indications arc that the enemy may .strike a snag if he does come on. Generally speaking—l speak only cl our own limited section —the position lias been greatly improved upon what it was two days ago. One thing wo are all agreed upon—the war of movements is certainly a most interesting war. ENTERING THE LINE. March 28. ' Having advanced to till a place in the line, the New Zealanders established themselves on their front, and were ready to attempt to stem the German rush in that particular section. Too much praise cannot be accorded to mu- troops for what in the first instance they have accomplished tinder exceptional difficulties- After a long railway journey they came, some by motor transport and some on foot, the distance to the concentration point. Thence they marched further miles straight into the tiring line, and were almost at once engaged with the enemy. In some instances they did this without practically any rest, proving their great endurance and indomitable spirit. Yesterday the enemy attacked our lino at two places. in each instance, the onslaught was met with unflinching courage, and the enemy was driven oil with loss. Last night one of units was again at close grips with the enemy, who advanced boldly and established himselt in a small section of our line. GOOD ARTILLERY WORK. This morning, between live and six o'clock, the artillery on our front came into action in order to slave oil other threatened attacks. Apparently this bombardment had the desired result, for the enemy did not come on, and any concentration ho may have had in this flrea must luuv suftorod severely, lor in this open country cover is scarce. Our own artillery mrformed a notable feat. After marching between thirlv and forty miles, they went straight into action and were shooting Tim same day. Tanks rendered tmiierial assistance as wo wore taking up o nr line. At the moment we seem to have gained .a slight mast/ery over the enemy, hut further attacks on the lino on his parr may he expected. The long spell of fine weather, which lias favoured the attackers, has now broken, with cold wind and rain. ’ CAREY’S CORPS, Gallant Labour Unit. (Received April 4, 7 p. m ,i LONDON, April 3. Carey’s Corps, under the command of -Major-General SanComan Carey, was composed of labouimen, mechanics and signallers. They fought nut hours hub days, on the left of the Fifth A ( rmy. I’nder Carey's wonderful leadership and pluck the men rendered invaluable services.