Chapter XXI.
Ploegsteert.

On the 31st March, the 2nd Battalion went into Ploegsteert Wood, relieving 2nd Battalion, Rifle Brigade, in reserve there. The following day, the 1st Battalion relieved 4th Battalion, Rifle Brigade, in line in the Ploegsteert sector (St. Yves Hill), marching some four and a-half miles from Bulford Camp, via Connaught Road, Leinster Road, Romarin-Ploegsteert Road, meeting platoon guides at the Strand. Two platoons of the reserve company then proceeded to the Catacombs at Hyde Park Corner, the rest of the battalion entering the trenches via The Strand, Bunhill Row, Mud Lane Breastwork and Ontario Avenue.

The Rifle Brigade had done a great deal of work; but, in spite of that, the line was in a very bad state, and there was a great deal of work yet to be done; nor did a fall of snow make things easier. The companies had their cookhouses just behind Prowse Point, at St. Andrew's Drive, and at Mud Lane Breastwork respectively. Rations were brought up to Campac Dump by transport, thence by the Canadian Pacific Light Railway (mule drawn or hand pushed), to Mud Lane Breastwork, Prowse Point and St. Andrew's Drive. There page 144was an Engineers' Dump near Moated Farm; but stores were very limited. The whole of St. Yves Hill was a maze of old, destroyed or abandoned trenches and saps which made systematic work very difficult. Late one afternoon, and again the following evening, our heavy, medium and light trench morning tars bombarded the enemy front line and supports doing considerable damage, the enemy replying with minenwerfer and canister bombs; but doing little damage. On the night of the 1st and again on the night of the 2nd, and morning of the 3rd April, snow fell, making it impossible to patrol to any extent.

The 2nd Battalion remained in reserve until 5th April. On the 2nd, the enemy had shelled its billets causing many casualties (1 killed, 17 wounded—two died of wounds). Captain L. H. Jardine, M.C., who had been commanding the 2nd Battalion for a week or so, now left for England to attend a Battalion Commander's course at Aldershot, and Major C. H. Weston from the 1st Battalion who had recently completed the same course assumed command of the 2nd Battalion (Lieut.- Col. Cunningham being at La Motte), with Captain H. E. McKinnon, M.C., second in command. On the 5th, 2nd Wellington replaced 2nd Canterbury in support in the Red Lodge area, and on the 6th, relieved 1st Canterbury in the line in La Douve sector opposite Messines, with 1st Auckland on its right and the 25th Division on its left. Although the trenches were exposed in many places, practically no sniping was done, although a few whizz bangs came over at odd times. The 2nd Battalion's headquarters were in McBride's Mansions, a comfortable row of dug-outs, and Auckland's were in Plus Douve Farm. Enemy artillery did considerable counter battery work and shooting at our rear lines.

The 1st Battalion was relieved in line, on the same day, by part of the 42nd Battalion, A.I.F., and moved into the left support area of the Red Lodge sector only just vacated by the 2nd Battalion.

Our right boundary was to be the river Douve, and our left beyond the Wulverghem-Messines road, both of which crossed No Man's Land at right angles to the two opposing lines of trenches. Across the Wulverghem-Messines road on our left, the trenches swung back almost at right angles, followed the road a little way, and then turned away sharply towards Wytschaete. On our left front the little river Steenbecque, there, in the middle of No Man's Land, ran through the road towards our right and bent back until it entered our line, ultimately emptying itself into the Douve. From the point where the Steenbeeque struck it, to the Wulverghem-Messines road, our front line was not parallel to the German trenches, and it was therefore, decided to dig a new trench in No Man's Land which would give us a jumping-off place on the correct alignment. With a large body of assaulting troops it is of great importance that they do not have to change direction during an attack, and that they all have approximately the same distance to travel. The contemplated trench would run from where the Steenbecque entered our front line to a point on the Wulverghem-Messines road, about two hundred yards from our present line and would give an additional advantage in enabling us to overlook the bed of the Streenbecque river from its parapet. As it was, the ground sloped steeply down to the stream which divided us from the enemy and then still more steeply up to Messines, thus obscuring the river banks From our view.

It was no use disguising the fact that it was a ticklish business. The Engineers had to peg the site of the new page 146trench at night, and, immediately after dark on the evening appointed, to tape it out. The working party of about four hundred men would then be marshalled on to the tapes and work commenced. The party would, of course, be protected by outposts, who would not be withdrawn until the work was completed. Of necessity the job had to be carried through in one night. The danger lay in discovery by the enemy while the work was in progress. No doubt his guns were laid on No Man's Land at night, and on a single signal from his sentries they would play terrible havoc with our men. The fact that the new trench in its curve beyond the Wulverghem-Messines road ran perilously close to the German line made discovery rather probable.

In the meantime, our patrols set to work to make No Man's Land our own, and to oust the enemy from a listening post he occupied on the road on our side of the Steenbecque. The post had been described as a heavily wired strong point on the maps in the possession of the Division, but on the evening of the 10th, a patrol from Hawkes Bay Company, 2nd Battalion, under Lieuts. Bollinger and Booklass, took possession before the Hun arrived. When he came, he did not stay long upon his going, but fled helter-skelter. From the careful reconnaissance they made, these two subalterns were able to supply the Division with correct information, and, thereafter, we occupied the post at night.

On the 11th April, Lieut. Keiller, an Engineer Officer, with Lieut. Molloy, 1st Otago, and 2nd Lieut. A. C. Wilson, 2nd Canterbury, pegged out the new trench. Unfortunately, just as work was completed Lieutenant Keiller was accidentally wounded by a bomb. On the following evening, Molloy checked the pegging, and on the night of the 13th, the work was done. The covering party, under Captain R. F. C. Scott, commanding Hawkes Bay Company, was found by that company and Wellington West Coast Company of the 2nd Battalion, the two detachments being officered by 2nd Lieuts. Booklass and McKenzie. Captain Scott reported them in their position at 9 p.m., and by page 14710.30 p.m., the four hundred men from 1st Battalion, Otago Regiment under Major J. Hargest, M.C., had commenced work. The work was completed at 2.30 a.m., and the party was clear of the battalion area on its way back to billets at 3 a.m. It was only then that the covering party was withdrawn. It was an anxious night, but, happily, the enemy remained oblivious to what was happening. Lieut. Col. Cunningham's arrangement of the covering party was considered excellent, and great credit was due to Major Hargest and his men. It is no easy matter to lead four hundred men in the dark out of a narrow trench to do a task in No Man's Land: to do it without noise and confusion was the result of excellent organization and discipline. The batteries supporting the sector stood by their guns while the work was in progress, and their commander took up his position in our front line to control them from there. The enemy's attitude to the new trench was mainly one of indifference, although he registered some of his guns on it next day, and shelled it lightly on the following night.

The entrance to the Douve Sector was by way of Plum Duff Sap, a narrow trench by the side of a road that ran down La Plus Douve Farm, and hard by the gate leading into the courtyard of the farmhouse was Ration Dump. On the 14th, there happened to be in the dump, about fifty "plum pudding" bombs, each weighing sixty pounds, and, a shell from a German battery striking them, caused a terrific explosion, killing five and wounding eleven men. A few days later, the German communique alleged that we had flown the Red Cross Flag over the dump, and, upon their suspicions being aroused by the number of men about, they had shelled it, with the result we have seen. Of course, no Red Cross Flag had been hoisted there, but there was a Dressing Station some there hundred yards away, which probably their observers had seen. However, after that, Ration Dump was an unhealthy spot, for it was shelled consistently and accurately. It was nevertheless, a busy place, as the first line transport unloaded the rations there at night and all reliefs were made by Plum Duff Sap.

On the 15th April, the 2nd Battalion was relieved by the 1st Battalion, and established itself on Hill 63, with headquarters at Stafford Lodge, until April 24th. The lodge was a shack, probably built by Canadians, with trunks of saplings out from the wood on the hillside. Tactically we were there supporting battalion of the brigade, the reserve battalion resting at Kortepyp Camp some two miles away. Up till now, the troops in the enemy trenches were a Saxon Division, but our intelligence learned from a German deserter that the 40th Division had relieved them. The Saxons have the reputation of being very passive opponents, their motto apparently, being "Live and Let Live". It was surprising what little interference we met with in the work. Part of our sector lay spread out at the foot of Messines, and the new work was plainly visible to the German observers in the village. Yet the enemy made no effort to check it by his artillery. What a wonderful view there was from the place was not fully appreciated until we took it in June, and could look back over our own country.

An offensive, organised as was General Plumer's against the Messines and Wytschaete Ridge, entailed a great deal of preparatory work. Assembly and communication trenches had to be dug to protect the troops for the few hours prior to the assault, and battalion and brigade headquarters constructed.

The latter were underground affairs; some thirty feet down with several entrance shafts, and numerous box rooms opening off the tunnels. In later battles assembly trenches were dispensed with, and the men took their chance while they waited. Communications, also, were necessary. The signals in a modern battle form the most difficult problem. The surest method is by cable, buried in a narrow trench, from seven to nine feet deep, but the limit to this is our front line. Other means are telephone wire, simply run over the surface of the ground, wireless, flags, lamps, pigeons and runners. Different engagements, owing to the various circumstances, have proved the use of the several methods, but preparations are generally page 149made for all of them. The most reliable of all proved to be the runner.

Providing the Covering party on the night of the 13th did not close the 2nd Battalion's connection with the new trench by the Steenbecque, for on three nights it sent up working parties from Hill 63. Posts from the 1st Battalion protected the men on these occasions. On the night of the 17th, Captain H. E. McKinnon, M.C., commanding Wellington West Coast Company, with detachments from his own company (Lieut. G. P. Healy) and from Taranaki (Lieut. R. K. Nicol), dug a drain from the trench down into Steenbecque, and a continuation of the trench itself Captain McKinnon's party had only one casualty. On the 18th, the 2nd Battalion found four officers and two hundred and ninety-five other ranks under Major C. H. Weston to make four communication saps from our old front line to the new one, and the work was done without a mishap. The following night, Captain R. F. C. Scott with four parties from Wellington West Coast (Lieut. McKenzie), Hawke's Bay (Lieut. Booklass), Taranaki (Lieut. Natusch) and Ruahine (Lieut. Taylor), totalling three hundred other ranks, carried the trench out further towards the Hun lines north of the Wulverghem-Messines road. That was the danger-point, and evidently the enemy saw either the covering party or some of our men, for he opened on them with rifle grenades, and rifle and machine-gun fire, killing two and wounding nine. It was bad enough, but fortunately he did not call up his artillery, and things quietened down. This digging was excellent training for a platoon or company. It was done by the companies. The officers had control of their own men, and made their own arrangements. The consequence was, officers, non-commissioned officers and men who would have to fight together were working together. It may seem strange, but that system had not always been followed. Previously, a battalion would be asked for several working parties, and, on the margin of men available being small, some of them had to be found from two or more companies, and placed, perhaps, under officers who were strangers to them. Moreover, on page 150arriving at the job, the men would be handed over to the Engineers, who would take complete charge. Under the new system they would remain with their own officers, who were solely responsible for the work, but had one or two Sappers attached to them as expert advisers.

While the Infantry were digging, the Artillery and the trench mortar men (Plum Puddings and Stokes) were busying themselves in destroying the enemy trenches, strong points machine-gun posts, and wire. There was to be a greater concentration of guns for Messines than ever before; the Somme and Arras would not stand comparison, and already the 60-pounders and heavies were pounding away at the German defences. "The Flying Pig," as the largest trench mortar was called, had not been installed, but its lesser brethren were doing great work; and, in spite of all, the retaliation from across the way was weak. The Miners, too, were steadily working, though of their plans we knew little. We rubbed shoulders with them in the narrow communication trenches, but there it ended.

And this scene of activity we thought we were leaving on the 29th April. The 2nd Battalion had relieved the 1st Battalion on the 24th, and were in turn relieved by the 2nd Battalion, of the Rifle Brigade, on the 26th, and marched back to Kortepyp Camp. The 1st Battalion was relieved in support by the 4th Battalion of the Rifle Brigade on the 27th, and moved to Romarin Camp, where it was billeted in huts. Two days were cheerfully spent in making ready for the anticipated trek to the training ground near St. Omer, and a start was to be made on the 29th. The battalions had had no real spell from trench life since Christmas, four long months, and how they would enjoy three weeks of Spring away from the sound of guns where mud was unknown. But, as if to remind us that in the army our souls are not our own, late at night on the 28th, came a note from Brigade Headquarters cancelling the move, and next day at noon, we received orders to relieve the 13th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment, in the Wulverghem Sector to the left of the Douve Sector. In the afternoon, company commanders page 151inspected the trenches, and the relief took place that night. It was a beautiful moonlight night, and the whole battalion was in by 4.30 a.m. Battalion headquarters were at St. Quentin Cabaret.

On the 30th April, the 1st Battalion moved from Romarin to the Waterloo Road near Neuve Eglise, battalion headquarters and two platoons of Ruahine Company being at Hutting Camp, Wellington-West Coast and Hawkes Bay Companies at Vauxhall Camp and the rest of the battalion at Hillside Camp, and, as no working parties were demanded from it for the next few days, the 1st Battalion had rather an easy time of it.

May 1917, was ushered in in delightful weather. The 2nd Battalion was still in the line, and, on the evening of the 1st May, Lieut. A. V. Young, a popular and efficient officer of Hawkes Bay Company, was shot dead by enemy machine-gun fire, while posting his platoon in support trenches at "Stand to." Our Stokes mortars were now registering from both their offensive and defensive positions, and they seemed to do considerable damage. The Germans, as was their wout, retaliated with minenwerfer and gun fire, which, fortunately, landed behind the front line, the 2nd Battalion having only one casualty. On the morning of the 3rd, the enemy shelled our right sector for several hours, intermittently and threw minenwerfer into the left sector. During the afternoon, the Stokes and medium trench mortars, assisted by the artillery, bombarded the enemy front line, while, on the divisional front, six hundred 60lb. bombs were fired at the enemy's trenches. The enemy again replied; but, fortunately, retaliation was moderate on the 2nd Battalion front, although, at 7 p.m. a small minenwerfer fell on a Ruahine post, killing two and wounding five.

Early on the morning of the 4th, during darkness, the 2nd Battalion was relieved by 1st Auckland, and marched to Aldershot Camp, about a mile south of Neuve Eglise, going into hutments there. Everyone was now able to have a bath, always a very real pleasure after a spell in the trenches. It was now definitely known that both battalions were, within a few days, to go out for Brigade training, page 152and preparations were being made accordingly. There was, however, still no respite from digging; but most of it could be done in daylight, as the sector was not under enemy observation. On the morning of the 5th, Lieut. J. McMorran was wounded while in charge of a party burying cable on the Wulverghem-Messines Road, one of his party being killed and three others wounded.

The 1st Battalion remained in Hutting Camp from 30th April to the 8th May, the whole strength being employed during this period on working parties.

On the night of the 5th May, the enemy three times bombarded Neuve Eglise, Bulford Camp, and the transport lines along Connaught Road. As soon as the bombardment began, both battalions temporarily evacuated their camps, and all the transport animals of both battalions were shifted away in pairs nearer to Stenwerck, returning next morning. Though considerable casualties were sustained by other battalions both in men and horses, the Wellington battalions happily, sustained none. On the following night, similar action was twice taken by the enemy artillery. As a precautionary measure, as soon as the bombardment opened, companies moved into places of safety, and the transport horses were again shifted. Luckily, there were again no casualties with us. On the evening of the 7th May, at 8.45 p.m., every heavy gun on the 2nd Army front bombarded the enemy's rear lines for five minutes. The dose was repeated at 11 p.m. They were certainly a series of bad five minutes for the enemy. This was a reprisal for the enemy's attention to our back areas, and, as the enemy ventured to retaliate slightly, our "Heavies" repeated five minutes drum fire at 11 p.m. on the 8th.

Notwithstanding the unceasing work that was being done by working parties from both battalions time was snatched on the 6th May for a football match between teams from the 1st and 2nd Battalions, the former winning handsomely.

On the 8th May, the 1st Battalion relieved 1st Auckland in the left brigade front of the Wulverghem sector with battalion headquarters at St. Quentin's Cabaret. The 4th page break

Red Lodge, Ploegsteert.

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Dugouts in Ploegsteert Wood.

Our First Aid Post at Messines.

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Winter at Hooge.

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Birr Cross Roads.

page 153Battalion, Rifle Brigade, was on the right and the Royal Irish Rifles on the left. On the 10th, the 1st Battalion was relieved by the 11th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers, and moved to the Waterloo Road, occupying the same camp as before. On the same day, the 2nd Battalion moved out of Aldershot Camp and marched to Petit Sec Bois, close to Vieux Berquin via Bailleul and Strazeele, marching past Lieut. General Sir A. J. Godley, Corps Commander, on the way. Lieut. Colonel R. Young had lent our 2nd Battalion the 1st Canterbury's band, the 2nd Battalion then having no band of its own, and its presence was a source of keen enjoyment. Next day the 1st Battalion marched to Grand Sec Bois, a distance of twelve miles, billeting there, in the village and adjoining farms.

The 1st Battalion remained at Grand Sec Bois, and the 2nd Battalion at Petit Sec Bois until the 19th May. For the most part, the weather during that time was delightful, and some excellent training was put in by both battalions.

While there the First Brigade held a horse show at Strazeele, and both battalions attended in force. The Regiment provided its share of competitors in all events, and took a share of prizes. In the two events for officers' chargers (owners up) Colonel Cunningham, Major Weston and several of the Company Commanders competed. The Colonel's black mare, Queenie, came third in her class (chargers ridden by officers of field rank) and Captain McKinnon's bay mare, Lucienne, was second in the other class. Driver Wilson, with his two splendid chestnuts, won the limbered wagon event. These beautiful animals, with many others, were killed early in August when an enemy aeroplane bombed the 2nd Battalion's transport near Kortepyp.

On the 17th, the transport moved ahead by road. The 19th May was a beautiful day, and both battalions marched to Bailleul and entrained there for St. Outer. On arrival at St. Omer we detrained and marched to billets. The 1st Battalion made Leuline its headquarters with Wellington-West Coast and Ruahine Companies at Etrehem, and Hawkes Bay and Taranaki Companies at Audenthun. The 2^nd

Battalion marched to Tatingham, reaching there about 7.30 p.m., taking over fairly good billets and being quite compact, the whole battalion in the one village.

The following day was Sunday, and Padre Walls conducted the 2nd Battalion Church Parade, Brigadier General C. H. J. Brown, Commander First Brigade, attending. In the afternoon, Taranaki Company played Ruahine Company at Rugby.

Training was again in full swing, and, during the week, both battalions fired various practices on Commette Rifle Range. There was a little rain; but, on the whole, the weather was excellent.

During twelve days, very valuable brigade training was put in. Extensive manoeuvre grounds had been requisitioned from the peasants, and sites were chosen and trenches dug to imitate as closely as possible the Messines defences. The brigade was thus able to practise its own portion of the attack under somewhat realistic condilions. General Godley (Corps Commander), and General Russell (Commander N.Z. Division) came down to see the training and criticize the work, and both of them addressed the officers and non-commissioned officers of the brigade.

During May, more than the usual number of changes had taken place in the Regiment. Early in the month Captain R. W. Wrightson, Adjutant of the 1st Battalion, left to attend a three months' stall course, and Lieut. J. T. Dallinger (Quartermaster) thereupon became acting Adjutant, and Lieut. R. L. Thompson Acting-Quartermaster of the 1st Battalion. During the month also, Rev. Father Richards (1st Battalion) went back to the base, his place being taken, a few days later, by the Rev. P. J. O'Neil. In the 2nd Battalion, Lieut. Gilbert (Hawkes Bay Company) transferred early in the month to the Royal Flying Corps, and from Tatingham, Lieut. A. A. Browne (Quartermaster) also went away to join the R.F.C. while Lieut. R. K. Nicol left for duty with the light trench mortars.

By the end of May, the First Brigade training for Messines was completed, and both battalions were now fit for anything. The villagers had grown very fond of us, page 155and it was with genuine regret, and many expressions of bon chance, bon sante, that they parted with us on the 31st May, when we turned our faces Eastward again.^*

During the stay, the officers of the 1st Battalion, entertained the officers of the 2nd Battalion at dinner, and it was indeed a merry party. Tatingham boasted a dining hall, and the two battalions between them produced a good share of crockery and spoons and forks. The 2nd Battalion officers sent their hosts home in the transport limbers, vehicles not designed for passenger traffic, and one of them, taking a corner rather sharply, turned over and shot the occupants on to the road. Several very dilapidated-looking officers were noticed when the 1st Battalion marched past the Brigadier two or three days later.

On the 31st May, the 1st Battalion marched to Bavinchove, a distance of about fourteen miles, and billeted there for the night, while the 2nd Battalion marched some fifteen miles to Zuytpene, near Cassell, via Arques. The following day, the 1st Battalion marched to billets in the Verte Rue area, a distance of about twelve miles. From Zutypeene, the 2nd Battalion marched to their former billets at Petit Sec Bois. On the second day's march, the officers and men who were not to go into action at Messines dropped out, and marched away to the Reinforcement Camp at Morbeeque. On the 2nd June, both battalions marched some twelve miles to the concentration camp at De Seule, arriving there during the afternoon. Shelter trenches were dug in case the enemy should shell the camp, and alarm stations allotted to companies.

Early in June, Lieut. Colonel C. F. D. Cook, commanding the 1st Battalion, was to receive the D.S.O., while Captain R. W. Wrightson, Adjutant 1st Battalion, Captain F. H. E. Morgan and Lieut. H. Simmonds were awarded the Military Cross.