COMRADES IN ARMS

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 14638, 6 April 1948, Page 4

COMRADES IN ARMS

N.Z. AND U.S. TROOPS IN ITALY Co-operation In Air And . On Ground Release Of Prisoners Of War (Special to The Times) [ln a recent article published in the Bay of Plenty Times, an outline of the extent of New Zealand. and United States co-operation in the Pacific in the war against Japan (prepared by the New Zealand War Histories Branch of the Department of Internal Affairs) was given. The story is continued below to include an account of similar co-operation in Italy. The completion of the story' today marks the observance of U.S. Army Day.] In the Middle East the 2nd New Zealand Division did not become as closely associated with the Americans as its fellow division in the Pacific. The first the New Zealanders met were the unpaid volunteer ambulance drivers of the American Field Service, highly esteemed by our troops for their efficiency, their cheerfulness under adverse conditions, and their courage. In Syria, in March 1942, two detachments of the Ist American Field Service Ambulance Car Company were first attached to the Division, and other detachments served with it throughout the campaigns in North Africa and in Italy. Their initiation in battle with the Division was at Minqar Qaim in June 1942. Apart from operations by United States Army Air Force bomber and fighter squadrons in close support of the troops on the ground during the campaign in North Africa—notably at on 2n, 1943—the 2nd New Zealand Division saw little of the Americans until after the move to Italy. At the beginning of February 1944, when the Division came to the Cassino front from the Adriatic, it was placed under the command of the American Fifth Army and went into the line to support the 2nd U.S. Corps, which was attacking the German-held fortress of Cassino. The New Zealanders' role was to Wait until the United States Corps had broken the. enemy's line, and then carry out a large-scale exploitation up the Liri Valley towards Rome". This meant very close co-operaticn in planning the campaign between Lieutenant-General Sir Bernard Freyberg, on the one hand, and Lieutenant-General Mark Clark (Fifth Army) and MaiorGeneral G. T. Keyes (2nd U.S. Corps) on the other. The plan could not be carried out as arranged because in spite of .tremendous efforts by the United States Corps, the German line still held, and the Americans were eventually relieved by the New Zealand Corps. Throughout the Division's association with the Fifth Army the relations between the two were excellent, and the Division's plans and requests were received in a friendly and helpful spirit and with a noticeable absence of red tape. General Freyberg showed his appreciation of this when he said to A. M. Gruenther, Fifth Army's Chief of Staff, on February 11:"You are helping 100 per cent in a way we have never been helped before." Co-operation of Supporting Arms The circumstances of the campaign did not allow much infantry

co-operation between the New Zealanders and the Americans at Cassino, but there was a great deal of co-operation between the supporting arms. Between February 5 and the final departure of the 2nd U.S. Corps from the front the New Zealand field artillery supported the American infantry as well as its own and fired concentrations at the Americans' request when the latter were involved in hard fighting in the hills above Cassino. The New Zealanders in return were supported by American medium and heavy artillery and protected by American anti-aircraft guns, which were under New Zealand Corps' command throughout the fighting at Cassino and did most valuable work. The New Zealand Corps also had under its command an American engineer combat group and a strong American armoured force, known as Combat Command "B," whose task was the exploitation of any bridgehead made by the New Zealand infantry across the Rapido and Gari Rivers. The only other contact between New Zealand and American ground forces in battle in Italy was on the Arno River in August 1944. For about a week the 2nd New Zealand Division. was on the left flank of the Eighth Army in the sector round Empoli, with the 91st U.S. Division as its' left-hand neighbour across the Elsa River from it. Between August 14 and 16 a regrouping of the armies took place in which the Fifth Army extended its sector several miles eastwards in preparation for an attack across the Arno towards Pistoia. The New Zealand Division was one of the Eighth Army formations relieved by the Americans, the 85th Division of 2nd U.S. Corps taking over from it. The New Zealanders screened the Americans' deployment and preparations and for several days before the relief provided covering patrols for American officers who went forward to examine the approaches and crossing places of the Arno. Close contact was kept between the New Zealand and American artillery, engineers, and provosts and the relief was carried out with no hitches except for a delay on the right flank when a German patrol raided the front line during the change-over. Both New Zealand and United States troops combined to drive off this patrol. Co-operation on a much larger scale was provided all through the Italian campaign by the United States. Army Air Force, which supported the Division with bombing and strafing raids in every action in which the New Zealanders were engaged.

Release of Prisoners of War Many New Zealand prisoners of war, both in Europe and the Far .Last, owed their release to American troops. In Anril, 1945, forward elements of the American Ist, 3rd 7th and 9th Armies overran numerous prisoner-of-war camps and columns of marching prisoners in Central and Southern Germany l n some cases minor engagements were fought around or near the camps after which American troops entered in tanks or jeeps, disarmed the guards, and sent them back to a prisoner-of-war cage. They then pushed on, to be followed by special fr? e thf a £ recovery units detailed for the feeding, medical treatment and evacuation of the liberated £r riSO T; S - u M Stala § VII A (near Mumch) where there had been collected upwards of 40,000 prisoners or War of almost every Allied country, General Paton himself drove into the camp. An imprls sive figure standing upright in h?s S' f e stayed ten minutes and spoke to the men. New Zealand ex-prisoners found the liberating Americans efficient generous and friendly. The Americans showered them with cigar Wk tfllW 1 and them back lo collecting centres promptly Where it was necessary to have

transit camps, they were well organised and the Americans were lavish with food and clothing. Most of the prisoners of war made the first leg of their journey to England in Dakotas piloted by s the United States Army Air Force. In the Ear East, American Army planes dropped supplies of food, clothing and medicine at prisoner-of-war camps in Japan and Manchuria containing New Zealand Navy, Army and Air Force personnel. Later, United States Army detachments arrived at the camps and supervised the evacuation. American planes and aircraft carriers transported liberated prisoners to well-equipped transit camps such as that at Manila, where they were cared for until they could make the last leg of their homeward journey to New Zealand.