N.Z. Division’s Stay In Trieste Recalled

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 April 1948, Page 8

N.Z. Division’s Stay In Trieste Recalled

The news from Trieste has a familiar ring to thousands of New Zealanders. ' It vividly recalls scenes of nearly three years ago when the New Zealand Division, expecting to celebrate the dawn of. peace and prosperity, was abruptly brought face to face in Trieste with the shape of the post-war. world, writes a staff correspondent of the New Zealand Herald.

While Allied countries were celebrating V-E Day, New Zealanders were already wrestling with the first post-war crisis and were beginning to realise that the Allies had been fighting for widelydifferent ideals.

Marshal Tito’s Jugoslavs were demonstrating in Trieste the technique of the Communist coup that has now become one of the central features of world politics. 1 urges and mass arrests were in lull swing. Communist infiltration into all important offices was proceeding apace. Puppet governing bodies were being formed.

Only the speed of the New Zealand advance from the centre of Italy pievented the Allies from being presented with a fait accompli on reaching Trieste. And it was largely the admirable handling of an exceedingly difficult situation by Lieutenant-General Sir Bernard Freyberg, V.C., and his colleagues after their arrival that foiled the Communist bid tor complete domination of Venezia Giulia. Reckless Zeal Of People Doubtless today the Triestini, to whom political ferment is as food and drink to other people, are entering, into the new situation with the same exuberant zest they displayed thiee years ago. Whatever New Zealanders who fought the Trieste Division in North Africa may think of their prowess in battle, nobody can deny the reckless abandon the people of Trieste display in their home politics. Parades and demonstrations are the breath of life to them and both men and women will shout patriotic slogans and wave banners in the face ol a hail of bullets - mi « Even the more timorous wifi fly flags from their balconies on the least provocation, heedless of retribution to follow. If the situation changes against them most of the flags will disappear like magic, but nothing could prevent the householders from declaring their fervent support for their particular cause in their first burst of enthusiasm.

Town And Country In Conflict

The city of Trieste is overwhelmingly Italian by race and sentiment, and the proposal of the Western Powers to return Trieste to Italy will bring great rejoicing in the fine, modern flats near the citadel on its central hill, in the seaside homes along the waterfront towards Barcola and the

t beautiful castle of Miramare which was the New Zealand headquarters, in the villas .with glorious views that line the cable-car routes to the hilltop suburbs, and in the jumble of narrow streets of the old city.

But there will be anger in many of the villages of the surrounding countryside where Slavs predominate. The evenings will be given up to marches, demonstrations and impassioned speeches in the village streets. Overnight Slav and Communist slogans will be daubed in red or white paint on walls and buildings, probably in the strongest areas of Italian sentiment in Trieste itself.

Lorries packed tight with Slav supporters wearing red scarves and shouting slogans and Communist songs will again charge along the roads at breakneck speed on mysterious errands, probably taking peasants to the Jugoslav sector to reinforce counter-demonstrations there. Difficult Communication Lines

Even if there is no outside interference the 5000 British and 5000 American troops in the Free Territory will need tact and firmness in handling the situations that will inevitably arise between the impulsive and emotional people of the district. Should the Communists attempt a coup in Trieste the Western Powers would have a difficult problem in maintaining their lines of communication except by sea. Contact with Jugoslavia is relatively good, but the two roads and railway to the west are exceedingly vulnerable. The main road along the waterfront makes a magnificent scenic drive as it winds round cliff faces and through tunnels, but it could be cut in a dozen places with the greatest ease. The secondary road and the railway run over a bare, rocky upland plateau through terrijtory which is in the main strongly {Slav in sentiment. Trieste isolation

Even the Italians admit that Trieste’s isolation from the rest of Italy reduces its value to them as a port, and that it will always serve Central Europe primarily. But there are reasons, in addition to national prestige, why possession of the present Free Territory will be eagerly sought by Italy. The big commercial institutions of Trieste like the Lloyd Triestino shipping line make the city important to Italy’s economy. The great shipbuilding yards of Monfalcone are within a stone’s throw of the Free Territory’s border and they could be dominated by a hostile Power occupying the Trieste zone. Trieste would be an invaluable bastion against attack from the east.

Whatever the outcome of the international negotiations over Trieste it is certain that the people of the territory will take a lively share in deciding their own fate and will not be content to await the verdict of others. Yjears of turmoil in one of Europe’s storm centres have done nothing to weary them of being used as a pawn in the Continent’s politics, and they .will fight the issue out among themselves in serene confidence that their own efforts will decide the case.