KEEN FIGHTERS
GERMAN SOLDIERS
New Zealanders who had met the Germans in battle in Libya had a real respect for their fighting qualities, according -' to men who have returned from the Middle East, The Germans were keen and courageous fighters, in contrast to the Italians*, most of whom seemed uninterested in the war, and almost careless of how it went. Generally speaking, the 4 Germans treated . their prisoners well, even going to the extent of sharing rations with them. Stories of ill treatment of prisoners by the Italians were explained by the fact that discipline was not so strong among Mussolini's men.
One New Zealander said that among the enemy troops was a regiment of Germans who had formerly been •in the French Foreign Legion and so were presumably used to desert fighting. Their officers came from . the regular German army. That regiment no longer existed, as the Empire forcei had practically annihilated it.
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Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 49, 27 February 1942, Page 6
Word Count
154KEEN FIGHTERS Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 49, 27 February 1942, Page 6
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