MOVES BY NIGHT

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 213, 8 September 1944, Page 3

MOVES BY NIGHT

NEW ZEALAND TROOPS

SHIFT TO ADRIATIC COAST N.Z.E.F. Official War Correspondent ADRIATIC COAST, Sept. 5. Ten days ago the New Zealanders left their areas south of Florence and set off across country,, heading east. Not many had seen the city, except from a distance. They knew where they were going, but it was very necessary that the enemy and any of his agents should be kept in ignorance of the • move, which was to take the great bulk of the Eighth Army to the Adriatic coast. A daub of oil and a sprinkling of dust hid the divisional signs of vehicles, and badges and shoulder titles were taken off. Again, to the outside world, the New Zealand Division was to be "off the map." Two night moves took the division to its first destination, a few miles inland from Ancona. About 225 miles were covered, some of the journey being on secondary roads turned to dust many inches thick, and finer than that of the desert. It swirled high in the air, where it hung ready to be sucked in through any opening in the passing vehicles. The roads were treacherously narrow in places and hard to follow, but there were many stretches of wide bitumen roadway, over which the vehicles passed at a merry pace. The New Zealanders headed first for Lake Trasimeno, skirted its northern shores, and passed through Perugia, Foligno and Macerata to reach the ancient, but uninteresting, town of Jesi. All guns available were needed to crack the formidable Gothic Line, and those of the New Zealanders played their part in the break-through. For most of the New Zealanders this was the first time there had been an opportunity for swimming in the sea since they arrived in Italy. The beaches, although some distance away, are good and the weather warm. At this time of the year Italy seems to be a land of | plenty. Grapes can be had for the picking, and there is much other fruit. Eggs can be obtained for about 9d each.