N.Z. ENGINEERS IN KOREA

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 26986, 11 March 1953, Page 5

N.Z. ENGINEERS IN KOREA

Working Forward Of Front Lines HAZARDOUS TASK IN MINEFIELDS (N.Z. Army Information Service) KOREA, March 8. Working forward of the front lines on dangerous minefield operations has become a relatively common task for members of a section of the Royal New Zealand Engineers in Korea. At present the section is attached to a British field squadron, and is being used to assist and strengthen that unit’s various troops. A recent period in the line covered the worst part of the Korean winter, during which the coldest day was 15 degrees below freezing point, aad the coldest night 43 degrees below. Over this period Second-Lieutenant Keith Hall (Auckland) worked at night breaching new gaps in minefields forward of the frozen snow with his bare hands. On one occasion he had a finger frostbitten. New Zealand’s other engineer officer, Lieutenant George Butcher (Petone). made a squadron record for the number of times he patrolled forward of the front lines on various missions. During one period Lieutenant Butcher went forward about 30 times on such tasks as reconnaissance, locating old minefields, replacing destroyed minefield fences, recovering killed and wounded, and guiding patrols. Two members of Lieutenant Butcher s section. Corporal T L Walker and Sapper E. W. Pitman (Auckland), were also engaged in this type of dangerous work. Other New Zealand sappers took part in minefield patrols in front of the line, acting as minefield guides for incoming infantry. In al! minefield activities the men’s work was made more difficult by the thick undergrowth, the steep hills and the snow.