The Regiment in Action.
The weather broke fine on the morning of September 15th. Zero hour was fixed at 6.20 am., and by 6 o'clock all ranks had breakfasted and were fortified by a stout issue of rum. In order as far as possible to conceal from the enemy the hour of attack there was no increase of our artillery fire immediately before the assault was timed to commence. Shortly after 6 o'clock three distinct lines of troops of the 2nd Battalion of Otago, which in conjunction with the 2nd Battalion of Auckland was to open the New Zealand Division's attack, had formed up in front of the new Otago Trench at intervals in depth of about 50 yards, and a fourth line was in Otago Trench itself.
Zero hour, 6.20 a.m., was the common signal for a mighty effort on the part of infantry and artillery. An intense and hurricane-like barrage of field artillery instantaneously broke out along the line; the great howitzers in the rear, hitherto firing but intermittently, now burst forth in extreme violence, and the anxiously awaiting lines of infantrymen stepped forward as in one accord and moved straight to their task. But the advancing waves had not proceeded far before officers and men began to drop from the ranks, for heavy machine gun fire was coming from the left and from the front of High Wood. -Official History of the Otago Regiment.
KILLED IN ACTION.
Lieutenant A. R. T. Macdougall (reported wounded on September 15, now reported killed) was the second son of Mr and Mrs W. P. Macdougall, 642 George street. Before enlisting he was in the employment of Messrs Fairbairn, Wright, and Co., and prior to that in his father's office (Macdougall and Co., Moray plc). He was 22 years of age, and was educated at the George Street School. He took a keen interest in military matters, and was a lieutenant in the Coastal Defence up to the time of his leaving in the Eighth Reinforcements. -Otago Daily Times, 10/10/1916.
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