ODDS TOO GREAT

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 294, 11 December 1943, Page 6

ODDS TOO GREAT

N.Z. ASSAULT FAILS

AIR COVER LACKING

N.Z.E.F. Official War Correspondent EIGHTH ARMY FRONT, Dec. 8.

A stubbornly held town on a height where there is another lateral road facing our advance was the centre of a New Zealand attack which started early yesterdaj' afternoon and continued until the early hours of this morning. After fighting in places for as Jong as 14 hours, our troops have failed to take the town, and in the main sectors-have retired to their starting positions, but they have taken many prisoners and inflicted heavy casualties on the panzer division against which they were opposed. The New Zealanders crossed a deep creek bed and scaled the slippery, steep slopes opposite through fire from tanks, mortars and machineguns, to meet at least one flamethrowing tank spurting its terrifying beam 50 to 60 yards. Thev fought the Germans bayonet point to bayonet point, and retired only after it was found that the town and adjoining ridge Avere defended in great strength. Our casualties were suffered in a gallant attempt against which were the odds not only of the enemy's defences but a most difficult terrain.

Without Aid of Air Cover

The attack began as black clouds hung low over the hills and denied the use of a concentrated air blitz. As I watched from the hill just above the infantry positions the mist was descending into the valley below the town which was the main point of the attack, almost blotting out its tower and closely packed buildings. Behind me I could see, from scores of different points on the green slopes, our guns, their flashes accentuated by the dull afternoon light. It was impossible to pick out the skilfully-concealed guns themselves. A peaceful-looking farmyard would suddenly spurt flame and smoke from among haystacks and buildings. The air sang with the sound of thousands of our shells as they passed over the infantrymen's heads to land on the slopes below the road and town. Some were smoke shells, which, with the increasing mist, helped our infantry to advance.

The ground Avas treacherously slippery. I slithered down some of it in a jeep to a creek bed. The brakes would not have stopped us if we had wanted them to. It was only a cart track, bare of metal and deep in mud. Rain dripped through the trees in the most dismal gloom of early evening.

We could just see great clouds of dust and smoke rise from the town as heavy shells fell in its midst. With the fall of sudden darkness, which the moon did little to remove through heavy cloud, the night was pierced by flashes of tracer and shellfire.

Jlaoris in Bayonet Charge

The Maori infantry, who had reached the roadway, which was their objective on the right flank, met German infantry in hand-to-hand combat. "With heavy tanks in support the enemy staged a bayonet charge. The Maoris charged against them and accounted for the infantry, but fell back before the weight of the tank attack. One formation of Maoris was completely cut off by tanks which converged from two directions from "We- rear on both flanks. They reassembled and fought their way back across the road again, only to have to retire in the face of fierce enemy tank resistance.They made an orderly withdrawal, bringing with them all their wounded.

The strength of the position of those troops on the right flank depended on the success of troops making a direct attack on the town, the only route through which they could be brought supporting arms. All the going had been difficult. The infantry had two hours' hard climb across a gully ■■ to the starting line, which fortunately mist and smoke screen enabled them to make unobserved. The artillery was never idle, and poured down heavy and accurate fire on enemy tanks as well as supporting the infantry. Our infantry, which was still further to the east, gained the height covering the extreme right flank, and remained in position. Their casualties have been mostly from mortar fire. All their supplies have been conveyed either by manpower or by mules.