BEFORE THE BATTLE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 92, 19 April 1941, Page 11

BEFORE THE BATTLE

N.Z.E.F. IN GREECE

WELCOME PROSPECT OF

ACTION

COUNTRY LIKE HOME

(From the Official .W ar Correspondent with the N.Z.E.F. in the Middle East.) (Per Cable and Wireless, Ltd.) CAIRO, April 18. "It's, such a. wonderful country, and so much like home ttiat -it Vis a great privilege to be able to fight for it.'^ lii these words a New Zealand soldier who has just returned from Greece sums up how our division feels about being sent to take part in the war in the Balkans. He-was one of a small party.which has just arrived back at the base camp. There was tremendous speculation as to where the division was going when it moved out from camp, repeating the experiences of the older generation who went out into the unknown, to find that they had been selected to make the landing at Gallipoli. They were old soldiers as far as rumours were concerned, and believed nothing until they sailed into a Greek port to find General Freyberg on the wharf to meet them. Their reception by the Greek populace, was overwhelming, and this, combined with the green hills and neat, fresh-looking buildings, after months of dust and the dry rocky outcrops of the desert made them feel as if they had arrived at home. 9 The first "flight" went in cruisers, and made a very fast passage, but later "flights" travelled in small Greek boats, about the size of the Rangatira and the Tamahine. The men in these parties struck a heavy gale in the Mediterranean, and had a Very rough passage, and were glad to see land. THE GERMAN CONSUL'S STROLL. Greece was not then at war with Germany, and the German Consulate was still functioning when the first troops arrived, and the Consul used to'take a constitutional stroll through their camp, overlooking the Acropolis, each evening. As he could speak excellent English the men had to be on their guard. According to one version, the troops planned to haul down the swastika from the Consulate, but they were forestalled. Of course, the language and currency presented some difficulty at first, reminding the men of- their early days in Egypt, but, as one expressed it, they are now "pretty good at the deaf and dumb language." Snow was falling as the advance parties set out for Trace by rail, and travelled through Larissa to Katerini, whence they could see Salonika in front; and behind lay the famous Mount' Olympus. Here our troops had their first experience of billets, and soon made friends in the villages, Avhere they were given eggs, ■ wine, apples, and lollies shaped to represent the ezvone, the soldiers of the Greek army. ■ -■ ; TROOPS SPLENDIDLY EQUIPPED. Next day the foremost troops dug in, and found the clay easy going compared with the rock and stones of the desert. Camouflage was easy, too, and; everything,was so different,, with the! chance of action after m.any i '-vvqairy month's of waiting,'that enthusiasm:led them on to feats of digging that can be described as phenomenal. / The country was likened' to that^ around Taihape. There was great enthusiasm among, the New Zealand units when: Germany' declared ..war on Greece, for the men felt that at last .the hour had come: to strike and tcr be able.' to put to> good use the lessons, learned during then.- long- training. < . . > : "To say that our men are on their toes would be putting it mildly. They are simply itching to go, and just as cunning as the Germans, and are splendidly equipped. They have not the slightest doubt that they will give a great account of themselves," said one member of our troops who has re-; turned from thef ront. He added that, although they could not be sure, he was of opinion that it was some of the New Zealand troops who had taught the. crack Adolf Hitler division a sharp lesson recently, because our troops were astride the railway and he had seen many German prisoners passing through the back area. The line then taken up by the Empire troops is behind that originally occupied, and much stronger, as the men were safely entrenched in foothills in dense bush, which necessitated the cutting of trees to secure a good field of fire. These hills reminded the soldiers of the Central Otago country. Valleys had been given New Zealand names, and if the Germans advanced they would find on notice boaixis "Kiwi Valley," "Paekakariki Hill," "Khyber Pass," and other names, according to the district from which the units were drawn in the Dominion. Already they have made acquaintance with the new Nazi war device, "shaving sticks," which are designed on similar lines to the "thermos bombs" met with in the Western Desert. These have been found scattered around the lines and in camp areas, and are now treated with healthy respect. COMPATRIOTS DISCOVERED. When the party were at Athens on the return journey they met two New Zealanders who had been engaged in alluvial gold-mining in western Macedonia, Mr. Brown, of Invercargill, and Mr. Tyson, of Dunedin. They had been fortunate to escape from the advancing Germans, and had heard that the New Zealand troops were in Greece and were anxious to meet them; but they could not identify them, because they were not,wearing the customary peaked hat. Mr. Brown proudly displayed a tattoo mark which had been made in Cairo when he was serving with, the New Zealand' forces in the last war. These men had seen the smoke of German artillery as they made their way to safety. Mr. Brown has a brother in the signallers. FEELING IN ATHENS. Leave in Athens was a real treat to the men from the desert, who found friends easily, but were dismayed to find that Greek girls are not allowed to dance with soldiers, as their Goy-ei-nment has decided that as many were fighting, the others "at the back" should not be able to enjoy themselves in their absence. This simple instance is typical of the whpleheartedness of the Greek war effort.

Greek hatred of Mussolini is very thorough; in fact he is despised, and considered of no account. Hitler comes in for similar treatment.

The people of Athens were astounded at the calmness displayed by the New Zealand soldiers during air raids, and had been cheered by their example, said another soldier. At a railway station in the interior a member of a reserve motor transport company was sitting on a pile of boxes on the platform when eight Nazi planes came down low and flew overhead. He did not: move, and when a second New Zealand soldier went over to speak to him afterwards he saw painted on the boxes the letters TNT; "Why on earth didn't you' run for it?" he said. "If they had collected this packet it would have been precious little- use

running," was the reply. Such a bearing is a magnificent example to the people of the towns and villages, who have little organised air defence, .said the soldier who related the story, and added that everywhere our men were held in the highest regard. _^