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Chapter XXII.
Formation of 4th Brigade.

The fourth New Zealand Infantry Brigade came into existence on the 15th March, 1917, and comprised the newly-formed 3rd Battalions of the Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago Regiments. The Wellington Regiment had the honour of providing the new General. Lieut.-Col. H. E. Hart, D.S.O., who had for long commanded was now promoted to be Temporary Brigadier-General, and was given the new brigade command. To fill his place, Major C. F. D. Cook, D.S.O., was promoted Lieutenant- Colonel to command the 1st Battalion. Major W. H. Fletcher, second in command of 2nd Wellington, was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel, taking command of the new 3rd Battalion of the Wellington Regiment in the Fourth Brigade. Major H. Holderness was now promoted second in command of the 1st Battalion; while Major C. H. Weston, up till now commanding Taranaki Company in the first Battalion, went to the 2nd Battalion as second in command and Major J. L. Short was appointed second in command of the new 3rd Battalion.

Towards the end of March, both battalions in the field sent over to England experienced officers and non-commis-page 157sioned officers and these, together with others then in England, recovered from wounds and sickness, formed the nucleus of the new 3rd Battalion. The 1st Battalion sent over Lieut. F. S. Varnham and Lieut. A. S. Muir, in addition to Lieut. Col. H. E. Hart, while Lieut. Col. W. H. Fletcher and Lieut. B. H. Morison went from the 2nd Battalion.

Training of the 3rd Battalion was carried out at Codford. Extensive training was carried out from 29th March 1917 to 29th May, 1917. His Majesty the King reviewed the brigade at Sling on the 1st May, 1917, senior officers being presented to the King after the review. The brigade marched from Codford to Sling for the review (20 miles) on 30th April, returning on the 2nd May, 1917. It was an inspiring spectacle.

On the 10th May, there was a further full dress inspection, this time by Field Marshall Viscount French, near Codford.

On leaving for France the officers of the 3rd Battalion were as follows: —

Lieut. Col. W. H. Fletcher, D.C.M. (Officer commanding); Major J. L. Short (Second in command); Lieut. A. S. Muir (Adjutant); Lieut. W. H. D. Coltman (Quartermaster); Lieut. S. M. Lang (Lewis Machine-gun officer); Capt. T. C. A. Hislop (Transport officer); Capt. I. E. Faris (Medical officer attached); Company Commanders; Wellington-West Coast Company, Capt. B. H. Morison (Capt. E. White, second in command); Hawkes Bay Company, Capt. F. S. Varnham (Capt. J. McRae, second in command); Taranaki Company, Capt. P. Oldham, (Capt. A. E. M. Jones, second in command); Ruahine Company, Capt. J. S. MacKay (Capt. F. L. Hartnell, second in command); Subalterns; Lieuts. W. B. Johnstone, W. H. Jones, P. J. O'Dowd, J. Brown, H. E. Crosse, R. Goldsman, O. Magnuson, J. Walker, H. H. Parkinson, L. L. King, H. Lawson, J. N. Bullard, C. E. Lee, A. W. Lafferty, R. H. Stables, R. M. Doughty, C. D. Stewart.

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On the 28th May, the 3rd Battalion left Codford in two trains for Southampton, which was reached at 6.30 in the morning, and there the Fourth Brigade embarked for France. Of 3rd Wellington, Wellington-West Coast and Hawkes Bay Companies crossed the Channel in S.S. "Archangel" and Taranaki and Ruahine Companies in the S.S. "Australind."

The Channel crossing was without incident, and at four o'clock in the morning, Le Harve was reached. The 3rd Battalion then disembarked and marched to a Rest Camp.

The brigade was destined for Bailleul, to be utilized as Corps Reserves. Accordingly, at midday on the 30th May, the 3rd Battalion entrained for Bailleul arriving there at 12.30 p.m. next day. From here, a short march to a field alongside the Armentieres-Bailleul Road brought the battalion to where it was to bivouae for the next eleven days. The weather was perfect, and everyone was much impressed by the enormous amount of traffic on all roads, the numerous British aeroplanes coming and going from the Bailleul Aerodome, and the general activity that proclaimed the coming Messines offensive.

On the 2nd June, the 4th Brigade (including 3rd Wellington) was inspected by General Godley, Commanding H. Anzac Corps, and General Gough, commanding the First Army.

On the 3rd, Ruahine Company was detached and employed laying water pipes in preparation for the assault about to be made against the Messines-Wytschaete Ridge. Otherwise the Battalion was, until the 10th, employed on various fatigues and guards scattered throughout the H. Anzac area.