N. ZEALANDERS IN ITALY

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 January 1944, Page 8

N. ZEALANDERS IN ITALY

POUNDING OF ORSOGNA

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

Df V [SIGNAL HEADQ HARTE RS, January 12. We saw parts of Orsogna’s buildings tossed into the air to-day when the town was subjected to a great pounding from the air and from our runs. It was the most spectacular we have seen at Orsogna. but si range-ly enough when finally great clouds of dust and smoke had cleared, a solid lower which rises above the centre of the town was still standing. It is not the tower it used to be by any means. There are parts missing, and what remains must be badly 'shattered.. The lower had been a fine position tor the enemy to observe our lines, but he must have found it no sinecure. This morning we saw Kiitymiwk bombers dive in at low level u> release heavy bombs which shook the ground on which we stcoci some thousands of yards away. Great masses of bricks and stones .were Hung into the oir, and with liii'.i' and

smoke lormod gimit lomiu.ii';-: which soon merged *" , (H| i ;|l, “ inost Ihf? whole town IToi'n view. As the dust and smoke pull increased, terrific flashes of exploding bombs made an amazing spectacle. AHor. releasing bombs, planes shot up. into the sky, circled the town, and dived in again and again with cannons blazing. This morning’s raid was but a prelude to bigger things in the afiernoon. Kitlyhawks returned and repeated the dose. Their bombs exploded from one end of .the town to the other, and one Hiought the tower had been demolished when if disappeared in a great blucL spurt of smoke. It emerged more bailernd, but still .'.landing.

'flte view had scarcely cleared when our guns filing against the town a short but heavy concentration of shells. Again for many minutes we could not see Orsogmi. Flashes appeared eevrywhere t-vor the Lown. Mingled wii.h a ewitiimous roar of bursting shells were yell; of dciighl from Italian children who Avatcl'ied from a house near us. They had yelled encouragement, too. when the bombers were making lheir attack. Orsogna does not burn. It is of the same solid construction us all Italian towns, the- buildings being of brick, stone and eonerete. The town is strongly hold by the Germans, who at night emerge io man machine-gun posts on its outskirts. The enemy has been concentrating strongly during the past few days on the “mad mile’’ round brickworks below Caste-1 Frentano, but traffic continues up and down the road. Sometimes 30 or more shells in a row have fallen without one hit being scored on. vehicles, but thp drive is not pleasant. The brickworks are now a sorry sight.

AERIAL SQUADRON

[X.Z.E.F. Official War Correspondent]

CENTRAL ITALY, January 13

Flying now in Italy with “Cobber” Kain’s old squadron is Flight Sergeant E. M. Karaiau, cf Turakina, the first Maori Spitfire pilot. Since the Aillied invasion of Italy he, has flown in dozens of sorties over binding beaches, ‘above the front, and across the- Adriatic Sea in support cf Jugoslav Partisan forces. Until i recently the squadron had been commanded by the New Zealander. Squadron Leader E. L. (Nipper) Joyce, D.F.M., of Hamilton, and had two Maori pilots. Karatau and Pilot Officer Ted Bennett, brother of Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Bennett, former Commander of the Maori Battalion. Eennett, who was the first Maori fighter pilot to join the Desert Air Force, was a night lighter pilot in Africa, and completed a tour of operations with Spitfires in Italy. Ever since “Cobber” Kain became the R.A.F.’s first fighter ace in this war, New Zealand has always been well represented among this squadron’s mixed group of British arid Dominions’ pilots. Twice in Africa it was commanded by New Zea kinder.-; —Squadron Leader Joyce in Tunisia and Squadron Leader Derek Ward, D.F.C. with Bar. of North Auckland, in Libya. When Ward was leading the squadron in night strafing raids across the Luftwaffe's airfields in Cyveraica. one of his most prominent young sergeant-pilots was Joyce. Within a few months Joyce became the desert’s leading mght figh+er pilot. In five nights over El "Alamein he shot down three German bombers. Soon after the squadron’s total bag reached 300 in Tunisia, he returned from a training period to be its commander at the end of the North African campaign, and during the Sicilian invasion and in Southern Italy. His promotion, from a war-rant-officer to a squadron leader in less than a year was one "of the most

rapid known in the R.A.F. in Africa. Two other New Zealanders one of whom is how the- pilot with the longest service in the squadron, Hew wilh Jovce during the invasion and i ram airfields in’ Southern Italy, 'ifficv are Warrant Officer W. J My<'iu(i oi' Pahiatua, and Flight Scr/emh John Horn. of. Wellington. Both Joyce and Horn had brothers fighting in North Island infantry baAal'ons of the New Zealand Division. Yet another New Zealander. Flight Sergeant T. \V. Buckley, oi Auckland,"has been with the squadron bn recent offensive sweeps over .Albania and Jugoslavia.

TANK CREWS’ EXPERIENCES

(X.Z.I’.A. Special I'crrespoiak'iit)

LONDON. January “'”‘«>ik warfare in Italy is. very di{l, ..„;t from that in th? Western Desert," said Major K. L. 'Brown (Auckland) of the Eightoentii New Zealand A;moored Regiment, who has tvamfeiTod from the IToiit line m Italy to lake a course in England. “Heal used to be to’Tific in the desert, bn! in Holy no., tanks Homme like io: boxes. .\ slromii <>l ,-ol:l ;1O romo.-: ill ihl'Oilgh the CUpol;l ifirijugli wl'iivk ih<‘ comiii.mdei' iuol-is out, >■> taut the erC'.’.'s uiyprcxode warm clothing, with which are issued. Whereas in the desert, tank crews hove a clear view for miles.

in Ttalv it is impossible to see very far on account of -xjautral obstacles like trees, banks, and hills. Sometimes we live- in taniis lor days on end, sleeping in them. We think we are lucky if we can find any kind oi a house to sleep in. These houses usually liuve fairly thick walls, ■/.’iiich give proteclion if shelling starts suddenly." Major Brown was in the lighting on the Orsognu-Ortona Road. lie said the Germans gave stiff oppodiion. Several New 'Zealand tanks were bogged in soft mud. He 'mentioned the following Aucklander'- in his squadron, nil of whom did good \\'nii: in that tivlioi'i: —l.,ieuteriants I’. Horton and 11. MTLean; Cuplmns C. I’,. Nelson and C. S. Passmore. “One oi' ifie most interesting engagements we have had in Italy thus far was an iidviinw along a road to Castel Frentano,” ho said. “Germans were on the rim. end we were shelling them while admiring and trying to dodge Hie variety of "high explosives ihev wore sending back.”

Major Brown, who fought, in Greece, Crete, and Libya, and holds lhe Greek Military Cross, said the New Zealanders liked Italy, because it was a change from the desert monotony, and it was interesting to sec the village people periodically. But from a fighting viewpoint they preferred the desert with its good visibility, manoeuvrability, and little rain and mud. both of which make trying conditions in. Italy.