NIGHT ENCOUNTER

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20861, 13 August 1942, Page 4

NIGHT ENCOUNTER

N.Z. & NAZI PATROLS ARTILLERY EXCHANGES MEAL-TIME SHELLING (By Telegraph—Press Assn.-—Copyright.) (N.Z.E.F. Official War Correspondent ) (1.30 p.m.) ALAMEIN, Aug. 12. A short brisk battle between one of our infantry night patrols and a party of about 18 Germans when they met near the enemy lines has been the only close fighting on the New Zealand sector of the front in the last day or two. Our patrol was creeping across no-man’s-land in front of i.ts battalion lines when it came unexpectedly on the Germans making ohe of their rare night scouting trips. The New Zealanders threw grenades amongst the Germans and for a few seconds there was a furious exchange of explosives .find machinegun bullets Other patrols were active all along our front, but they were not opposed Fairly constant exchanges of artillery fire have decreased because o.f the dust storm that has swept the lines since early morning. Skirmishes between fighter patrols are becoming a daily occurrence Over the New Zealand lines. Again this morning we had- breakfast beneath the roar of planes diving towards each other add the crackle of their machine-guns. Two hurried attacks on our forward positions have beeil the only daylight bombing raids the Gerrpans have made in this sector for soine time. The artillery is so regular with its shelling of our pbsitions at meal times that the bombardments are now known by the troops as the “Lunch programme” and “Dinner musid”, “We would think something is wrong if he did not use a bit of ammunition every night,” an infahtry sergeant said, when we spoke of ..the regularity of .the -German... machine-gun. fire; across no-man’s-land each night. Despite enemy attempts to stop rations reaching the line the troops in our forward positions never miss a meal. In most cases, two hot meals often of fresh mea.t and vegetables, are taken up to the line daily.