N.Z. SPEARHEAD

Grey River Argus, 22 January 1943, Page 5

N.Z. SPEARHEAD

Last Friday’s Operations AGAINST WADI ZEMZEM. (Rec. 1.10.) CAIRO. Jan. 20. New Zealand forces were again the Eighth Army’s spearhead on Friday last, January 15, when an offensive was opened against the Germans’ most southern defences, in Tripolitania. Strong forces of New Zealanders smashed through Marshal Rommel’s defences. The first elements that thp New Zealanders encountered were the same Germans whom they previously trounced in a delaying action which allowed the Eighth Army to consolidate on the El Alamein line. Now Zealand armoured cavalry, with twenty-five pounder guns, ad/ vancing far ahead of their main columns of guns and mobile infantry, swept across sandy ridges to attack

German forces occupying high ground seventeen miles eastwards of the main Axis defences along the Wad, Zemzem. The New Zealanders before 8 a.m. had taken the high ground and Britsh armour was thrusting towards positons which the Germans had defended with anti-tank guns, heavy artillery and scattered mines. Meanwhile sweep after sweep of R.A.F. fighters watched overhead a battle between British tanks and guns and German armoured forces. It raged all day across country as arid and rugged as any in North Africa. The Germans, although using heavy guns, seemed to be un.willing to fight any decisive action, thev preferring; to delay the New Zealanders’ . advance with vigorous rearguard actions, and tanks. A few German tanks moved, in groups of twenty, ahead of the New eZalanders. More New Zealand gund raced forward to support the British armoured attacks. The greater part of the German force was by dusk withdrawing westwards, leaving their heavy guns to battle against the New Zealand batteries. Hundreds of New Zealand troops watched the closing stages of the battle from a grandstand site when their transport halted on high ground overlooking a wide basin where New Zealand guns were firing. New Zealand guns and tanks durino- the day’s action knocked out five German Mark Three tanks, and also some troop-carrierse and antitank guns.