Kiwis faced new dangerous onslaught

This year marks a century since the end of World War I. That final year, 1918, saw major developments following the pointless and massive death toll battles of the previous year. New Zealand, with a total population of about a million people was the small

By the middle of the European summer, at the beginning of 1918, New Zealand infantrymen in World War I had grown from battle hardened to battle weary.

They had been shot, bombed, gassed and starved since the calamity of Gallipoli in April 1915 and there was no indication that the war would be over and they could go home any time soon.

There had been two major developments in 1917 which worried politicians and military commanders but frontline soldiers knew, or were told, little about; Russia, one of the largest armies fighting with the British, pulled out of the war and America joined Britain and France against Germany.

By the beginning of 1917 the Russian economy had collapsed and millions of people were close to starvation.

That led to the Russian Revolution, the execution of the Russian Royal family and the establishment of a socialist government.

In April that year America sent the first contingent of an eventual two million soldiers, under the command of Major General John Pershing, to the battlefields in France. It was not a universally popular decision with many Americans.

At the beginning of 1918, the fortunes of war seemed to be favouring Germany. The withdrawal of the huge Russian army, following the Bolshevik Revolution, allowed the Germans to transfer nearly 50 divisions to the Western Front in France.

With this huge new army the German high command launched a massive attack in the hope of winning the war before the Americans became fully involved.

Among those facing this new dangerous onslaught were the New Zealand Division which had been recovering in northern France after a difficult winter in the Ypres.

They were among the units rushed south to the Somme, the site of one of the bloodiest and most pointless battles of the war in 1916.

They were sent forward to Hedauville in the Ancre Valley to fill a gap between Hamel and Hebuterne. They were in position just as the Germans mounted a new drive towards Doullens on March 27.

The Germans were in full battle order and marching at a rapid pace along an open road straight into the ambush. Massed together they made an easy target for trained soldiers armed with

.303 Lee Enfield rifles at 300 yards. The 2009 Penguin book of New Zealanders at war, edited by Gavin McLean, Ian McGibbon and Kynan Gentry, records a dairy record of the encounter by Len Collins, a private in the

2nd Battalion of the Wellington Regiment.

‘‘As dawn broke . . . we passed through and halted just outside the village of Colincamps. We were warned that Fritz was in the vicinity.

Our scouts headed out to have a look. The rest of us prepared for a short stop while our officers palavered on the situation. The stop was too short. The scouts were back quickly. The Germans were marching along the road, half a mile away, towards us.

The skipper gave us orders to stand by. He then spoke those words that make any soldier face hell 10 times over and never think of saying die.

‘‘Well, boys, it’s up to us. There’s no one behind us for miles – but there soon will be.’’ We all knew this was bluff as other troops were days away, but the skipper continued.

‘‘I want this crowd stopped here, right here, and knowing you, I have faith in you. Now go to it.’’

No more orders were necessary. We all knew what was required. Like clockwork, we fell into extended battle order. We waited just inside the cover of the trees for that word which would take us back into action. Our platoon officer lay beside me. I knew what that meant. I could now see the Germans, less than 300 yards away. They were coming towards us in great style and pace.

The officer said in my ear, ‘‘Sonny, you can start the ball. Fire.’’ The traps were sprung and German soldiers fell in dozens before they were able to take cover and return fire but they had been halted and eventually driven back.

This short battle was the beginning of a major British offensive which stopped the German advance. The New Zealand Division remained in the Ancre Valley on the Somme until it was relieved in early June.

After a period in reserve, the division went back into the line in early July, occupying trenches in front of Hebuterne and, further north, facing Rossignol Wood.

They spent several weeks on aggressive patrolling and fighting small actions to improve their tactical position. With the battlefield in this sector crisscrossed by the old trenches of the 1916 frontline, there were plenty of opportunities for scouting and raiding. Dick Travis, known as the division’s king of scouts was in his element until he was killed by an exploding shell in late July.

The New Zealanders so harassed their opponents that the Germans eventually abandoned Rossignol Wood.

At the beginning of 1918, the fortunes of war seemed to be favouring Germany. The withdrawal of the huge Russian army, following the Bolshevik Revolution, allowed the Germans to transfer nearly 50 divisions to the Western Front in France.