36462 Private Alfred William (-24/8/1918), and 34697 Private Herbert Allan (25/1/1895-12/1/1918), Long. "recent heavy fighting"

Mrs A. W. Long, Chertsey, has been advised that her husband, Private Alfred William Long, is reported missing. He is the second son of Mr W. Long, Kyle, and was born and educated, at Darfield. Private Long left with the Twenty-first Reinforcements.  -Ashburton Guardian, 17/9/1918.

ROLL OF HONOUR.

LONG. — Killed in action in France on August 21, Alfred William, second son of W. and A. Long, of "Derrylin," Kyle, and beloved husband of Mary Long, Chertsey.  -Sun, 24/10/1918.

Alfred Long was killed in the Battle of Bapaume, a hard-fought one for a French town which made an excellent defensive position.  Alfred's death was the verdict of  Court of Enquiry held in February, 1919.  His Regiment's Official History describes the experience of Alfred's Company (15th) on the day he died:

 The 15th Company, moving up to the edge of the village and the high crest line between it and Loupart Wood, saw figures moving in front of them. Dawn broke very suddenly. From thirty yards in front came a cry of alarm. The long thin line of the 15th hesitated whether to dash right in or not — the Huns hesitated whether to run or stick to their guns. The initiative lay with any bold leader on either side who could impose his will on the waverers. A Hun gunner was the first to act, and the rattle of his gun restored the confidence of the others. Half-a-dozen more joined in, and the 15th went to cover, while the streams of bullets cut up the earth in all directions. It was impossible to raise a head while the Huns continued to rattle through belt after belt at such a furious pace. There was nothing to be done but lie still and wait for better times. Back across the valley three tanks were seen coming up. Helmets went up on bayonet points to attract their attention, and then Sergeant Forsyth, who had been scouting far in advance, went back to the nearest and explained the position. Under heavy fire he led it up the slope toward the sunken road.

Two small quick-firers open on the tank and the little shells burst all round as fast as the gunners can loose them off. The brave sergeant never flinches — hit in the arm by a flying splinter, he still leads on. The German machine-gunners see the danger. Their weapons avail nothing against this iron monster—their nerve fails, and they run. At the same moment the infantry rise up, keeping abreast of or following the tank. They take the sunken road with its row of machine-guns. Then "Bang" — clear and hard — a shell has caught the tank fairly in front. It gives a funny little lurch, slews half round, and then stops dead. But the infantry press on, and, though coming immediately under heavy fire, gain possession of the crest and work some little distance down the slope before flinging themselves down in the old grass-grown shellholes of 1916.

Mr W. Long. Dorrylin, Kyle, has received word that his son, Private Herbert Allan (Dick) Long was killed in action on January 12. He was educated at Darfield and Kyle Schools, and at the time of enlisting was working for Mr W. Worner, Southbridge. He left with the Twentieth Reinforcement from Ashburton, and had been through all the recent heavy fighting. Mr Long has two other sons at the front, one, who left New Zealand with Main Body was wounded on April 3rd 1915. The other son left with the Twenty-first Reinforcement6, and was wounded in October last.  -Ashburton Guardian, 2/2/1918.

Herbert Long was killed in action in mid-winter and at a quiet time not long before the German offensive which was their final chance to win the war.  As his Regiment was experiencing a quiet period, it is likely that he was killed by a sniper or by artillery.

Ashburton Cemetery.