MYSTERIES OF WAR

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 234, 3 October 1942, Page 8

MYSTERIES OF WAR

THKKK were many mysteries, large and small, connected with the campaign in (J recce. This is the story of a minor incident experienced b\ my battalion, the explanation of certain details thereof being a mystery to us. By 21475 The battalion was travelling by nam Irom Athens to the front in nor hern Creece. We were accommodated in closed-in freight wagons, • !<> to It) troops in each wagon. it had been a slow and tedious journey. and alter some hours in our cramped quarters cVcry halt of the train was taken advantage of to climb out and stretch our legs. Our last stop had been at Larissa a fairsi zed town south-east of the Olympus I'ass. and which very soon was to sulTcr a great deal from the attentions of the Luftwaffe. We were held up there for about an hour, and when we eventually got going again we were finite prepared and hoping for an uninterrupted journey through the Larissa \ alley, before entering the mountain passes again. However, verv soon the train jolted to a stop. A'couple of train load- of wounded Creek troops had. earlier in the day. passed us heading south. Thinking we were probably on a siding to enable another one of tlie-e trains to pass, we immediately opened the sliding doors o| the wagon when our train -lopped. We found that we were

still on the main track, and all there was to see were cornfields stretching from the railway to the near by hills. Investigations seemed in order, and soon every wagon was disgorging its complement of troops. A surprising sight was in store for us. The entire Creek train crew had abandoned the train, and were running through the corn towards some trees on rising ground about a quarter of a mile away! We shouted out to them for some explanation of their strange behaviour, but they were too intent on their crosscountry gallop. However, we were not left long in doubt about the reason for their hurried departure. We heard the steady throb of aeroplane engines, and soon we could see several heavy (lemiiin bombers clearing the top of the hills. This was not so good, but those Huns must have had urgent business elsewhere, for they passed right over without giving us any attention. The crew did not seem to be in any lnirry to return to their train, so it seemed as if we would have to provide our own crew. Preparations were in hand for this when the Creeks put in an appearance, quite happy now that the immediate danger was past. They very promptly had us on the move once again. The mystery was. and still is. how diil that Creek train crew know that those Cerman planes were in the vicinity? It was some time after the train had stopped before the planes could be heard or seen.