AFTER MESSINES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LX, Issue 17076, 1 September 1917, Page 5

AFTER MESSINES.

NEW ZEALANDERS' GREAT

WORK

GENEItAL GODLEY'S TRIBUTE

(Per Press Association.) _ WELLINGTON, Aug. 31. In the House this afternoon, the Minister for Defence read following address issued to the First New Zealand Infantry Brigade by General Godley, on the 15th June, after the Battle or Messmes:—

To the First New Zealand Infantry Brigade came the honour of capturing the key to the whole position attacked by the Second Army. In this they had succeeded when they captured and' consolidated the ground allotted to them. As they had been the original brigade to leave New Zealand, he had asked General Russell to give them this to do, and they had done it well. He was sure no body of troops could have done the work better or more cmpletely. The dash of the brigade and the manner in which they had attacked were absolutely all that could be desired, and he had no hesitation in saying that the Battle of Messines had set the seal on what they had already done at Gallipoli and the Somme. Their casualties testified to the severity of the fighting they had to do. He greatly deplored the loss of their gallant Brigadier, who was killed at the moment of victory at the head of the brigade he had so gallantly led to the top of the hill. He was a great loss to the force, and also to New Zealand and the Empire. There was no finer man. He was sure they all felt how much they had lost in his death and in the deaths of the other brave officers.and men who had fallen in that great victory. In conclusion, he would like just to tell them how proud he was to have had a hand in the raising of the first brigade, and in bringing it from New Zealand. He was sure also that everyone in New Zealand would be proud to hear what had been done once more by the original brigade. Personally, he wished to thank them from his heart for what they had done for the corps.