IN GREAT HEART

Evening Star, Issue 25461, 17 April 1945, Page 5

IN GREAT HEART

NEW ZEALAND INFANTRYMEN FAST MOVING AND HARD HITTING (N.Z.E-.F. Official War Correspondent.) IN. THE FIELD, Apr.il 13. Returning to battle at 11.30 last night, the Twenty-first Battalion advanced at midnight without a preliminary barrage, captured Massa Lombarda, and reaching their objective beyond the town. The enemy was now definitely on the run, and the New Zealanders, quick to appreciate the situation, continued on to the next objective, the Scoloaamola Canal, 2,500 yards away. One burned-out Tiger tank was passed, but no contact was made with the enemy until the canal was reached. Here hard-pressed remnants of an enemy regiment made a stubborn stand.

The fast-moving New Zealanders captured intact two brigades, and for the Twenty-first a stiff fight ended at II a.m. to-day with the enemy again moving back and 36 prisoners, including a company commander, in the battalion's hands. The commander was a young lieutenant, who asked if lie would be shot, and said dejectedly that his company, 40 strong, had lost 40 killed. This fine success was some compensation to the hard-hitting Twentvfirst for the extremely hard fighting it had to do before the battle and in the Senio crossings. An indication of the hurry in which the Germans fell back on the Scolofiamolo Canal was given by the fart that the Twenty-first took two brokendown trucks loaded with signals gear, and also overran a Panther and a Tiger and two 75-millimetre anti-tank guns. When a platoon following the advance troops was ordered to 'i while in a house and approached it, Germans hiding inside opened fire.

Two Bren gunners replied, firing through a door and a window, and then a grenade was thrown through a window, finishing the defenders. The Twenty-third Battalion also met with great success la6t night and this morning. -About 5 p.m. a big concentration of vehicles behind the German lines was heard, and it was found they were streaming over the Scolozamolo Canal. The air force and artillery attacked them with great success, and it was decided that the battalion which had been fighting hard all dav should attack again. The battalion went ahead, and when next it halted it was well behind its objective so it immediately pushed on to the second objective. The Hun was running in this sector, too, but the Twenty-thirds had been fighting since they began to force the Santerno the previous jjight, and it was decided to give the men some sleep, At 6.30 a.m. the battalion was again on the move. Food-carrying jeeps came up just as the men were moving off and trailed along into battle, providing a hot meal immediately the morning's drive ended. Held up at one point, the Twenty-third finally smashed the enemy hack, and as he started retreating again at 9.30 a.m., the battalion reached its objective and enjoyed a rest and breakfast. The infantrymen are showing amazing piiclurance. nncl are in srreat heart. Griinv. unshaven, bleary-eyed from dust and strain, they are determined that the division's part in the campaign shall end .in the complete defeat of the men opposing them. |