THE LAST STAGES

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 103, 3 May 1945, Page 8

THE LAST STAGES

N.Z.E.F.'S GREAT DRIVE

CLIMAX—MEETING TITO

(Official War Correspondent, N.Z.E.F.)

MONFALCONE, May 2

The junction between the New Zealanders and Marshal Tito's forces here this afternoon marks the climax of one of the most spectacularly successful of the campaigns in the long history of the New Zealand Division. It is just 23 days since our infantry followed the barrage over the Senio. Since then the German armies in Italy have been shattered, and the remnants still outside the prisoner-of-war cages driven back to the Alps.

The part the New Zealand Division has played cannot be over-emphasised. Always the very spearhead of the army the New Zealanders had the toughest going of all. The enemy divisions thrown against our men had all the advantages of perfect defensive country, and in the fitst few days three of these divisions were soundly thrashed. Freyberg's motto, "Gate-crash and bash 'em," was no exaggeration, as defence line after defence line was forced. The New Zealanders were first across the Senio, the Santerno, and the Sillaro, three rivers in four days, and they fought for every foot of the 16 miles gained. , ~ Twelve days after the start of the offensive the Kiwis were across the Idice, and the much publicised Genghiz Khan line was no more. This undoubtedly accelerated the fall of Bologna. From then on, the German

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resistance showed ever more signs of extemporisation and growing panic. All along the front the troops of the Bth and sth Armies surged forward, some almost unopposed as the armour poured out into the plains. The New Zealanders kept on plugging. The Reno was crossed on the 2dra, and there the New Zealanders went back into the lead, which they have held ever since. They were the first to cross the Po, and another 36 hours saw them leading both armies across the Adige. In both cases the New Zealand engineers bridged the rivers wtih pontoon bridges, which were used by many other Bth Army units as the only means of getting forward. As the defence weakened, tanks and trucks picked up the infantry and the rate of the advance increased. On the 28th the entire Division rolled, on wheels or tracks, in a great "left hook" on Padua. Entirely surrounded though it was by German troops, the Division had surprisingly little trouble in its 50-mile dash. At Padua the partisans had the situation well in hand. Next day two great objectives were gained: Venice was liberated by a column consisting of New Zealand infantry and tanks, and armoured cars of an English regiment; and the Piave River was reached, crossed, and bridged. A few hours of rest were snatched while precious petrol was brought up. Then today began the most spectacular move of the campaign, directed around the Gulf of Venice. It ended only when the Division effected a junction with Tito's forces. This powerful striking force of the Bth Army is not composed entirely of New Zealanders. Supporting the New Zealand infantry, tanks, and guns are an English artillery regiment's armoured cars, and a force of Gurkhas. The • total number of prisoners taken is at the moment incalculable, but the most conservative estimates place the figure at 15,000 for the New Zealand Division alone, and-prisoners continue to roll in.