CAPTURE BY N.Z. TROOPS

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23948, 15 May 1943, Page 5

CAPTURE BY N.Z. TROOPS

GERMAN 90TH LIGHT DIVISION END OF TWO YEARS’ STRUGGLE LONDON, May 13. “New Zealanders’ triumph,” is the headline given by both “The Times” and the “Daily Telegraph” to the report of the surrender of the German 90th Light Division to the New Zealand Division, which came from Reuter's correspondent at Allied Headquarters in North Africa. Reuter’s correspondent states; “It is especially fitting that the last great fight in North Africa should also have rung down the curtain on the two years’ struggle between the 2nd New Zealand Division and the German 90th Light Division. All these long, arduous months when the Allied tide ebbed and flowed, the New Zealanders clung to the hope that they would finally end the career of this German division. The 90th Division was the pride of the Afrika Korps, Lieutenant-General Sir Bernard Freyberg’s New Zealanders are satisfied to-night.” The "Daily Telegraph” says: “It is noteworthy that the Axis commanders negotiated with Lieutenant-General Freyberg and not with General Sir Bernard Montgomery. It was previously stated that some sections of the Bth Army had been withdrawn from the southern sector to co-operate with the Ist Army. It was also reported that the, Bth Army did not participate in the final battle but was rested. At all events little has been heard of General Montgomery recently, suggesting that he may be engaged on the next phase.” DEFENCE OF ITALY MUSSOLINI SETS UP COUNCIL ißec. 11.3(1 p.m.) LONDON, May 14. Mussolini has entrusted the defence of Italy to a military hierarchy consisting of himself. King Victor Emmanuel, and Marshals Graziani, De Bono, and Caviglia,