THE MONTH OF OCTOBER.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LX, Issue 17124, 27 October 1917, Page 4

THE MONTH OF OCTOBER.

NEW ZEALANDERS' GLORIOUS RECORD.

REPORT BY GENERAL GODLEY/

(Per Press Association.) t +l ; WELLINGTON, Oct. 26. . xa the House this afternoon the Win. xster for Defence read the-following summary ot the work of the ftew Ze?*and Division for the month of Octofe by General Godley lIhe Division took part with area* and complete success in the British attacked at 6 a.m. on a front of 2000 yards, .and captured Gr&venstafel Y iU lage Abraham Heights, Berlin Wood and Kronprmz Farm, besides numerous mS foi^ lettP °ints and trench ele! ments. All objectives were taken according to time-table, behind artillery and maenme gun barrages. The artillery co-operation wag good. The German positions were penetrated to a S 1 P of V?° yfrds a * Points. The enemy fought well at.first but later fo£ eSfff red ?n ly ' 1159 Prisone" S lorn different German divisions bein^ taken, also o9 machine guns. The en* my were so disorganised that no serious counter-attack was made. One counterattack on a smalLscale was destroyed at the outset during the assembly east ot Kronprinz Farm. The enemy sufrered a serious setback, and lost valuable ground. Before reliefT the captured ground was consolidated and trenches dug. n The division was again engaged on October l2th, and attacked Sllevue bpur. Enemy wire and very heavy machine-gun fire from "pill boxes '' •combined with the bad state of the ground, held up the attacking brigades Ihe battalions attacked in turn with great determination, but were unable to- penetrate the enemy's defences, borne progress was made, nevertheless, and 93 prisoners taken Since October 12th there have beln no offensive operations, but the line gained has been consolidated and held until, relief.

The Minister added that defence orders for Messmes were captured, and had been retained as an official war trophy for New Zealand. The enemy was relying on five concrete" stron^ points in the town.