NEW ZEALANDERS RESTING

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 July 1942, Page 5

NEW ZEALANDERS RESTING

EAGER TO STRIKE AGAIN READY FOR ANYTHING [N.Z.E.F. Official War Correspondent] CAIRO, July 19. Since the New Zealanders’ brilliant six-mile night advance through the very heart of the Axis defences in the central sector of the El Alamein front and the hectic day of action which followed, they have not been engaged in serious fighting. Since one of their formations, commanded by a new All Black brigadier, was overrun by enemy tanks last Wednesday night, they have not been asked to attack. They had been forced to withdraw a short distance by the weight of German armour, but they have now reoccupied those positions which they temporarily lost. All the positions which the New Zealanders first captured in the storming of the Ruweisat ridge are still held by them. They are now completely reorganised, well dug in, and ready for anything, either attack or defence. They are eager to strike again.

FIGHT ON THE RIDGE. .

EL ALAMEIN, July 16.

After a brilliant night advance covering six miles, in which they were forced to pass through a terrific hail of enemy fire, New Zealand infantry formations took their objectives on the Ruweisat ridge. Pockets of heavily armed Italian infantry left in deep defences through which the New Zealand troops advanced in the thrust to the ridge caused a reversal yesterday in the advantage gained by the attack. Separated from their guns and armoured support, the New Zealand infantry suffered such losses in fierce engagements that they were forced to withdraw to reorganise.

Our forces in the night attack began their six-mile advance to the Ruweisat ridge in three main groups. In gaining their objective through strong defensive fire, our infantry, machine-gunners, anti-tank gunners —the leading group—left some enemy positions and isolated minefields behind. These prevented support groups, guns, carriers, and mortars from reaching the ridge. Without the close support of guns, the New Zealanders on the ridge were subjected to continuous machine-gun and artillery fire, which eventually enabled a German armoured force to overrun their positions. Even in the face of tremendous odds of fighting heavy tanks, the New Zealanders resisted stubbornly until the situation became impossible. Dive-bombing raids during the day added to the intensity of the German attack. On one formation there were three raids within half an hour. One advanced dressing station, some hundreds of yards from the nearest fighting unit was the target for one of the several raids. Although the whole area was obscured by smoke and dust and marked by bomb craters, there were few victims. From disadvantageous positions our artillery gave all the support possible against the heavy opposition. At least three quads set on fire in the battle were driven into the wind by the gunners and the ammunition thrown clear before the flames were extinguished with sand. Immediately after their withdrawal the New Zealand formations were reorganised, and early this morning the battle groups were in position. Cut off from their artillery and mortars by cross-fire from the pockets of resistance left in their line of advance, the infantrymen, mach-ine-gunners, and anti-tank gunners of the New Zealand formation in the left sector of the Ruweisat ridge withstood a day of terrific artillery barrages, tank attacks, shellfire, and dive-bombing before they were overrun by a force of German armoured units and fighting vehicles last evening. Only late in the afternoon was it possible to get the carriers and mortars—the second section of the formation of the attacking force —on to the ridge. Our artillery was in action all day, but the closest position they could get to return the, enemy’s fire was three miles from Ruweisat.

GERMAN TANKS ATTACK.

The tank attack which ended our left formation’s gallant stand came from the west at 4 o’clock in the afternoon. More than a score of fighting vehicles, including mounted anti-tank guns, advanced under cover of an artillery barrage on our infantry—men of Auckland, V elhngton, and South Island battalions. While our anti-tank gunners pumped their six-pounder shells the infantry stood by them, but their resistance could not last long against the heavy tanks. Penetrating our semi-circular defences the tanks cut through brigade headquarters and began firing back at our men from sheltered positions about 100 yards to the real. As they passed headquarters the German tanks crews threw grenades out towards the men in. the trenches. Caught in hopeless positions our men on the edge of the attack were forced to surrender to the German lorried infantry following the tanks. lowards dusk the German tam<s began their withdrawal, sending out armoured cars to collect the prisoners from the centre of our line. The prisoners were being marched off when a strong force of British tanks opened fire. Some or the New Zealanders escaped while the enemy armour was withdrawing. Many others were caught amidst the iui — °ous exchange of tank shells The German tanks moved back m stages of a few hundred yards, nring as they went. When our men tried to escape they were faced also with shots from the German infantry watching them from the edge of oui line. Some did escape and were helping to evacuate wounded when three German tanks returned to collect them again. Even then some escaped and rejoined the New Zealand forces under cover of darkness. The remainder of our left formation was withdrawn during the night. Outflanked, after a day of losses, and helpless against tanks and armoured vehicles, men of the Auckland battalion in the formation on the rWht of the New Zealand positions returned during last night m scattered parties to their brigade headquarters. Throughout the day They had been under fire from automatic weapons, with which the enemy sprayed them from shelter pits the New Zealanders had overrun durm & the previous, night’s attack. As an evening haze developed theie heavy shelling and. mortar fne. Only one move was possible —to move back and reorganise. There were still troublesome enemy pockets as late as 6 o’clock in the evening, although many had been disposed of, with big hauls of prisoners. The less seriously depleted South Island battalion, on the extreme right was now exposed, and moved to cover the flank adjoining the envision With great difficulty a message was sent through for it to withdraw to a position near brigade headquarters, which it did m excellent order. ! WELLINGTONIANS CAPTURED (Official War Correspondent N.Z.E.F.) EL ALAMEIN, July 17. It can now be revealed that a large body of Wellington infantrymen of the second contingent were surround-

ed by tanks and captured during the night advance on the Ruweisat ridge. Without armoured support, with three anti-tank guns their only heavy weapons, and. just starting to prepare positions upon reaching their objective, they were no match for the German tanks which had surrounded them. They had faced terrific fire and they were prepared to fight through heavy odds, but to attempt to contend with the overwhelming strength of the enemy tanks would have been madness. The men were in a reserve battalion about a mile behind two forward battalions which they .followed m company columns at visibility distance One company was to be used for mopping-up purposes if necessary and the others were to be kept intact for use where required. The forward battalion were in extended formation, each with a front of 1000 yards. Behind the whole followed anti-tank weapons, machine-guns and mortars in trucks, brigade headquarters with them. The leading battalions fought their way through without being checked for any length of time. They came upon a laager of tanks, disposed of two and continued the advance. The tanks appeared to have become separated. At 4.30 a.m. the reserve infantrymen had reached the near side of the ridge ,and.the forward troops were on the far side. When leaving the reserve to order up transport with weapons and ammunition after placing his troops in position, the brigadier came under strong fire which, he thought, was from machine-gun posts. A platoon was ordered to attack them. Going on his way, the brigadier encountered tanks at close range on both sides of him. It was their fire he had met, and they were closing round on the rear of the infantrymen. He succeeded in reaching his headquarters. The position of the reserve infantrymen was worse than critical —it was hopeless GALLANT EFFORT

Dawn was just breaking when the three six-inch anti-tank guns of the hemmed-in New Zealanders opened up against the tanks. Their gallant effort was short-lived, and two guns were silenced by fierce concentrated fire. The third gun was moved to a better position, but it, too, could not last long. The infantry had little chance to dig in before they found tanks at their rear, but it is thougne that casualties from this fire were light. The men were formed into columns and marched off under an escort of tanks. It is considered that probably lew would have been captured had there been another 10 minutes in which to prepare positions. A small party which found itself in a more favourable position than the others, escaped, although observed and fired upon. , , The enemy left several stretcherbearers who were tending tne wounded. One of these described the happenings upon the New Zealanders’ surrender. He said that some tanks appeared to be manned by Germans and some by Italians. The trooos were made to remove steel helmets and web gear, but were told to retain water-bottles. The enemy was in haste to remove them, forcing them to make off almost at a jog-trot. “It would have been useless for them to have offered further resistance,” said the stretcher-bearer. Later in the day three Bren-gun carriers braved heavy fire to bring to safety the stretcher-bearers and tne wounded they were tending. THRILLING BAYONET CHARGE.

[Official War Correspondent, N.Z.E.F.]

CAIRO, July 18

A thrilling story of the New Zealanders’ six-mile advance with the bayonet west of the Ruweisat ridge was told by the colonel in charge of the Wellington Battalion, 4th Brigade, who has just returned after escaping from the Germans. “We started off about 11 p.m.,” he said. “It was quite dark. The objective was a ridge about six miles distant, and west of Ruweisat. When we had gone about two miles, we struck the enemy forward defence machine-guns. Our infantry went straight in with the bayonet, but the enemy gunners kept up a concentrated fire till we were right among them, when they gave in . quickly. From then on we were taking prisoners all the time. Our troops stuck together as a fighting body all the way. There was never a sign of hesitation. About 4 a.m. we reached our objective. There seemed to be a great commotion up on the ridge, which appeared to be the enemy unit’s headquarters. People were running everywhere, trying to escape. We were able to take many prisoners. “Once on the ridge we immediately started digging in. The ground was very stonv, turning the picks and making the going almost impossible. With the first light came our ma-chine-gunners, lending us great support. Morale greatly increased, especially when Royal Air Force bombers swept over, dropping a load on enemy positions a few hundred yards distant. It was very heartening. The men cheered as the bombs found their marks. It is almost impossible to increase our men’s respect for the Air Force.

“The enemy soon realised the position, and started sending over heavy mortar fire. By now we had been joined by a South Island battalion, linking fire and strengthening the defence. Throughout the day the enemy plastered shrapnel and mortars on us. It was almost impossible to move. However, spirits were very high. We stuck to it. We had found lots of rations, and also water, among the Italian trucks. Later in the afternoon the enemy attacked us with tanks, overrunning our position. There was little we could do about it. One man put a tank out of action by climbing on top, opening the cover, and throwing in a grenade, setting the tank on fire. “The Italian opposition met during the advance had been mainly from the Brescia and Pavia Divisions, and it was not very hard to overcome. Both the artillery and the Royal Air Force had to a certain extent cleared the way the day before.” The colonel paid a great tribute to the men in the ranks, who “went in, kept their heads all the time, doing the right thing, often on their own initiative.” He was more than ever convinced of the efficacy of the bayonet wielded by determined men. “I think the bayonet the deciding weapon in battle —the finest weapon we have. I have yet to see an enemy stand up and fight against it,” he said. “Our New Zealanders can use it. with dash.” This was the same colonel who, himself using, a bayonet, led the Wellingto Battalion in the Mersa Matruh break-th.roi.igh.