NEW ZEALANDERS.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 17397, 7 October 1918, Page 3

NEW ZEALANDERS.

FIGHT UNDER DIFFICULTIES

OPERATIONS ON THE CANAL

DU NORD

(Fron;- Captain Malcolm Ross, NewZealand Official Correspondent with the Forces in the Field.) September ;iu.

Yesterday's sunshine gave place to bitter glare, with slight rain, and last night lorries and teams, driving without light 3in the darkness, had difficult worik in getting up supplies and ammunition over roads that had been badly shelled; yet all difficulties, were cheerfully overcome. Last night, in conjunction with an Eng|lish division, we pushed out patrols, 'who met strong opposition all along the line of the canal, but this morning, about 4 o'clock, the resistance weakened somewhat. Otago and Canterbury troops, still vmshing ahead, reached the canal bank, to find the bridges blown and ma-chine-guns firing on them from the other side. About 9 o'clock two platoon succeeded in crossing on our right, and one company got over on the left.

Wellington troops are now along the line of the canal, and the Aucklanders are getting across at CJrevecoeur. It is not anticipated surmounting this formidable obstacle so cheaply. This morning we took more prisoners than we had casualties. At present the canal is impassable for transport. The Engineers are already at work repairing bridges and pontoons, and are moving forward.

Our prisoners were added to yesterday's, and now total sixty officers and fifteen hundred of other ranks. A large number of Germans w^re treated at our dressing station. They are badly wounded in the chest and abdom-en, a tribute- to the deadly fire of our infantry and machine-gun-ners. Though they have received the best skilled treatment, a considerable number will not recover, in regard to our care of enemy wounded, it is interesting to note that in, four weeks' fighting this division alone has treated between five and six hundred German wounded. i