DESERT TRIALS

Evening Star, Issue 24082, 31 December 1941, Page 10

DESERT TRIALS

I PRISONERS OF THE AXIS I OTAGO SOLDIER'S STORY A lottc from Lance-corporal Gordon Caklwell (N.Z. Engineers) to his family (55 Harbour Terraco) gives interesting I news of tlie hazards of the Libyan j | battle, j Ho writes: “ I was taken prisoner by a Jerry panzer division on November 28, and alter two days was banded over to tin: Italians, but was retaken by a British unit on December 5. J will not I go into details, but I much prefer being j under tiro to being a prisoner of war I under the conditions to which our party I were subjected. On the final day we I were force-marched for about 30 miles, and wore then used as a screen for the I Italians, who were trying to force the Tobruk gap. We were shelled for three hours by our own guns before being reI cognised. A small armoured party imI mediately cut into the Italian army I around us, and it was thou iqj to us to I disarm any any handy Italians and I . escape on trucks. The Hi’s were deI moralised by the shelling, and offered I little resistance. The various units | through which we were relayed back to G i our own lines were wonder! ul in their 1 generosity and kind treatment towards 9 us. We arrived with no gear at all exI ccpt the clothes we stood up in, and the I Huns gave ns no opportunity to take i anything with us when captured—not I even a blanket. The piano-accordion I wont west, but I managed to bury my | dinrv in the sand as wo were being marched away in the gathering dark- | ness. We had no show of successful j resistance, ns it was a case of rides I against tanks. It was the toughest I week I have over been through, and I t don’t want another one like it. j “ Now we are back we are making I up for it in the way of food and I warmth. The Y.M.C.A. and Patriotic I Council have turned up trumps and •supplied us with personal gear, such as razors, soap, toothpaste, etc. .Believe mo, we were a bearded, motley crew that returned, though well aware clour good fortune in being rescued. As you probably are aware, the New /calami lighting units put up a wonderful show, and when wo left the war zone the Hun was definitely on the rim, and likely to remain so. Our water ration while prisoners was half a pint a day. and our systems are still craving water in spite of all the cups of tea wc are drinking. Having an easy time now, and revelling in warm beds and regular meals instead of just lying in the open desert, which is now very cold at nights.”