GERMAN OPINION OF NEW ZEALANDERS

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 4675, 25 January 1945, Page 2

GERMAN OPINION OF NEW ZEALANDERS

DOCUMENT CAPTURED IN ITALY

“Now Zealanders, most of whom volunteered for service in Europe from a sense of adventure, are trained and led by General Froyborg and are dangerous opponents, ” states a document captured recently from a Germau of the 278 th Division. “They are specialists in night lighting. They light over a wide front and their .method of attack resembles the Gtrmau method. The Now Zealanders have learnt to follow up closely under heavy artillery barrages, which they use. By this moans they are able lake their opponents oft' their guard and gain their objectives without heavy losses. They are also capable in difficult country of lighting uiUuiut tank support.” The document in which tills tribute appealed recalls an intelligence summary captured by New Zealanders at ilebuterue in July BUS, which described the Ist New Zealand division as “a particularly good assault division” and continued, “its characteristics arc very strongly-developed individual self couiideuce or enterprise, characteristic of the colonial British and a specially pronounced hatred of Germans. ’ ’ The views of Field-Marshal Erwin Rommel regarding the New Zealanders in the desert days are too well remembered to need repeating. In this very different atmosphere of snow and ice it is very encouraging to die men of the division that our opposite numbers have given us yet another opportunity ‘‘ to see ourselves as others see us. ’ ’