Battalion Assault Across River

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29742, 8 February 1962, Page 15

Battalion Assault Across River

Accompanied by simulated fire from mortars and machine-guns, the 2nd Battalion, New Zealand Regiment, made an assault across a river against enemy insurgents in the Tekapo area on Tuesday evening. The assault river crossing, part of Exercise Shakedown, is being followed by further attacks which will continue until tomorrow.

The crossing of the river was watched by the commander of the Southern Military District (Brigadier A. H. Andrews).

On Tuesday afternoon units of the battalion practised their parts in the assault. At 6.45 p.m. an orderly grouo meetinc was held in which the officers received their final briefing, times of various moves, and codes. Three companies of the battalion. A, C. and D. were to attack across the “river.” in fact a small tarn which had to be used as no suitable river was available, and sain certain points on the other side.

After securing the bank they were to be followed across by about 25 vehicles, which would be ferried on a raft built by the assault oioneers The attack would be held after mortar fire on the enemv positions and the assault waves would be protected while on the water bv machine-gun and rifle fire directed from their own side of the rivsr. Nine Boats

Altogether, about nine boats would be used in the assault, and the troons were to. be ferried across company bv company Immediately after last night and b°fore the attack two reconnaisance parties were to check the o-rmosite bank for ntoher dinghies.

The first phase of the operation would be getting the men safely across the river and securing a position on the other side, and the second phase would be an attack on the first objective, which had to be secured by first light on Wednesday morning

The reconnaisance was made as planned, and at the appointed "H-hour” of 10.30 p.m. the first wave of troops attacked As they gained their objectives, code words

signifying success were radioed back to the command post vehicle. Before the attack there had been some confusion among commanders as to whether H-hour was at 10 p.m. or 10.30 p.m. The original time decided had been the former, but in the last moment of the briefing all times had been put back by 30 minutes to allow for a miscalculation in the time of last light. The error was soon cleared up after several officers had questioned the times, and the assault took place as planned at 10.30 p.m. Recognising Mistakes

This type of error was one of the reasons for the exercise, said the battalion adjutant (Captain A. Armstrong). By recognising such mistakes during the exercise and noting them, they could be avoided in real ccmbat. Before the assault was made the men of the attacking companies huddled in blankets, ground sheets and great-coats. Some relief from the intense cold was afforded by mugs of hot cocoa brought around by the quartermaster section. The men of the battalion felt the bitter conditions more than usual, as nearly all of them have been back from Malaya for only four weeks. After the assault waves had crossed the river, the pioneers built the raft for the vehicles, and the first started across. The ambulance section got a genuine opportunity to practice when one of the men in the attacking troops injured his ankle, and was taken to "safety” on a stretcher. It was midnight before the first vehicles began to cross

the river, and in the meantime the rest of the column were waiting at an assembly point away from the river. Lights were not permitted, and the men huddled in the vehicles in any warm clothing or blankets they could find.

Some of the enemy "insurgents” had managed to cross the river and come up behind the attacking troops, where they began to harass the column of vehicles, forcing the drivers to leave the slight warmth of their cabs and stand to outside with their sub-machine guns at the ready. Driven Off

The insurgents were eventually driven off after one or two loud explosions behind the column, and the remaining vehicles slowly moved across the river. On the other side the attack was going well, and most points had been secured on schedule. By morning, the attackers had a firm foothold on the enemy side of the river. As daylight approached, they knew they were to be threatened with an enemy tank, represented by a utility vehicle carry : ng a flag. Last evening, the troops were to move further forward into the hills, and a further advance is planned for today. On Friday, the battalion will receive word that the Ist Battalion, New Zealand Regiment, which is holding a defensive line near Pukaki, is being driven back by superior forces. This will threaten the 2nd Battalion with being cut off, and they will be forced to withdraw to the main road. After this move has been effected, the exercise will come to an end and the troops will return to Burnham camp.