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Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 181, 29 April 1941, Page 8

BACK FROM EGYPT

More New Zealand Troops

IN “HELL-FIRE PASS”

SYDNEY, April 26.

Eagerly looking forward to tile last stage of their long journey, 49 soldiers of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force are waiting in Sydney to be sent home. Four of them were “officially” in action, the remainder being sickness cases. They arrived at Sydney by hospital ship with more than 100 Australians who were wounded in the Libyan campaign. They were immediately transferred to various military hospitals where they will remain till arrangements have been made to tranship them to New Zealand by passenger ships. The more serious cases will be detained for further treatment, but many of them were well enough to obtain leave to inspect the city. One of those who saw action is a sergeant from Christchurch attached to a supply column. He is suffering from shellshock as a result of having thrice been blown up in a motor-truck and twice while riding a motor-cycle.

Preferring not to disclose his name, he said that the New Zealand transport units were used to keep supplies of ammunition, petrol and food up to the British and Australian troops during the attack on Libya. “You probably heard of ‘Hell-fire Pass,’ ” he said. “Well, it was well named. I ran the gauntlet three times and the Italians bombed the place incessantly. Luckily ■they bombed from a height of about 25,000 feet, and their aim was poor, but it was bad enough.” Private G. Esau, Wellington, may not see his home in Palmerston North for months, but he is quite contented in the new Yaralla Military Hospital. He is one of 22 New Zealanders, 12 of whom belong to his battalion, who contracted infantile paralysis. He lost the use of his arms and legs, but now has the use of his arms. He will remain to receive special massage treatment and is hopeful of a complete recovery. Private Esau said that he got to know the Italians fairly well. Ninetynine out of a hundred were actually pro-British, but the odd one was a rabid Fascist. They hated to hear that the Germans had gone into Italy, One of the prisoners was in his ward at the base hospital and tended him. He was more gentle than a woman, said Esau. “The Australians did a good job in Libya,” he said, “and those who were in the hospital ship with us kept wonderful spirits. The Australian nurses both on the ship and in hospital here are great, too. They seem so bright—not that New Zealand nurses suffered by comparison.”