9th. DIVISION

Grey River Argus, 26 March 1943, Page 1

9th. DIVISION

Exploits in Desert COMMANDER’S REVIEW. SYDNEY. March' 25. The Australian Ninth Division picked the “tender spot” in Rommel’s defences when it attacked the El Alamein Line, General Morshead told a Press conference. He commanded the Ninth Division throughout its epic seven months’ defence of Tobruk and when it took part in the Eighth Army’s defeat of Rommel at El Alamein. He spoke with great pride of his Division. The features which emerged from his talk were that the Germans attacking Tobruk had no knowledge of the former Italian defences of the town, that the Germans there had been deficient in infantry, involving a serious disadvantage in tank tactics, and that there was no co-ordination by the Italians between their tanks and infantry. General Morshead emphasised .the courage and ability of German airmen and soldiers, adding, however, that German defence tactics were not as efficient as the British. . “He is a very brave man is the German airman,” declared General Morshead. “Although .we were able to put up a heavy barrage over the port of Tobruk, .the Boche would always come through. Nothing deterred him. The Italians emulated the Germans very well at .first, but as time.went on the Italians stayed higher and higher.” The break-through at El Alamein, in which New Zealand infantry, the 51st. Highland Division, and a British armoured brigade were associated with the Australians, had not been' made without heavy cost. Minefields blocked the way for tanks so that much of the work had to be done by the infantry without tank support.

“During the battle I went to see how one particular battalion was getting on under heavy enemy shelling. I asked a private how many casualties they had. He 'Said, ‘Oh, it hasn’t been too bad. A lot of chaps have been killed, but we must have 50 left. Anyway. I think we’ve got those Germans beaten.’ When vou get men with a spirit like that they are not hard to lead,” concluded General Morshead.