WITH THE MAORIS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20632, 13 August 1941, Page 9

WITH THE MAORIS

COMMANDER’S PRAISE “GAVE GOOD ACCOUNT" MEN IN FINE SPIRITS Containing news of interest to the Maori people, the following letter has been received by Sir Apirana Ngata from Lieutenant-Colonel G. Dittmer. officer commanding the Maori Battalion: “Now that we have settled down again after our first brushes with the enemy, it is time for me to write and confirm most of the reports you have heard concerning the good showing put up by the folk in whom you arc vitally concerned. “In the first place, I must offer you the sympathy of the whole battalion in the matter of your son, Henry, being missing. We arc hoping to hear any day that he is a prisoner. In Greece he was left, with six other officers, to form reinforcements near Athens, so he was not actually with the battalion during the withdrawal and evacuation. Apparently our reinforcements became engaged with forward elements of file enemy during the withdrawal in the Athens area, and it is assumed that some of them were cut off. Not being part of the battalion, they did not conm under our control, and we knew nothing o. their movement until after arrival in Crete. “All of the Maori officers, especially the ones commissioned in and after leaving New Zealand, came well up to expectations and set a good example to the men they were leading. It was owing to their good leadership and the desire to set a good example that, brought about so many casualties in the commissioned ranks. Hard To Keep Track of Wounded “It was very bad luck to lose Harding Leaf on Crete. He was wounded, and we hope that nothing worse has happened to him than being taken prisoner. It was practically impossible for a unit engaged as we were to keep track of the wounded in coun-ter-attacks to a great depth, and during the withdrawal, when there were frequent moves. “Although both our ventures in this war have ended in withdrawal, the battalion has done well, and I am pleased to say inflicted many more casualties in the ranks of the Hun than he did in ours, and the credit in the main was due to the fighting spirit and efficiency in the use of arms displayed by N.C.O.s and men. The Hun did not like the bayonet, and never once did he retaliate on this battalion with it. The bayonet, work of the boys at Suda Bay would have done your heart good. “The surprising thing about the operations in Crete was the fitness of the men right up until the very last, and the big number of active personnel we brought off, when numbers are compared with those of other units. About 70 of our people came straight to Egypt from Greece, and did not go to Crete, and we brought 407 away from the latter, which shows, 1 think, that our men were able to look after and take care of themselves, and it is not as though they were not in the thick of it. because they were. “One pleasing thing is the way members of other units praised the men of this battalion for their good work. Brought Ui> To Strength “About three weeks ago we received a big draft of reinforcements into the battalion, which has just brought us up to full strength again, and we are training hard, although it is extremely hot; for the next show. “On Crete it was the German Air Force that turned the tables, and it is estimated that he used in the neighbourhood of ICOO ’planes, a big number of which were bombers, divebombers, and fighters, which used their machine-guns freely on ground troops from a low level. “Captain Royal is doing very well, and Tureia, who became very ill towards the end of operations on Crete, has just returned to us, but he is by no means right yet. Major Dyer also led his company very well. When the present reinforcements settle down a bit more, the battalion will be more efficient and in better shape than ever, and should do exceedingly well in their next ofToit. The more efficient the battalion is, the better it is able to look after itself and get out of tight corners. “C. M. Bennett and Te Punga are filling the appointments of company second in command, so you see the younger officers are coming on well.”