WITH THE FORCES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 198, 23 July 1941, Page 5

WITH THE FORCES

FEILDING MEN IN MIDDLE EAST. Private L. Sim, of the New Zealand Forces in the Middle East, who writes to a friend in Tedding, dealing with various exploits in Greece and Crete, mentions several men from this town whom lie has met. ‘‘As you know,” tho letter says, “wo got our long awaited action against the Hun in Grecco and Crete. Wo did not see much action in Greece, but when we did wo gavo tho Nazis something to think about. Alter Greece we bad a few days’ spell under the olive trees of Creto anti life was very pleasant until the Hun decided ho wanted the island and commenced his blitz there. It was a wonderful sight to see the parachutes leaving tho planes and coming down, but not so wonderful when the parachutists got into action. I always thought it impossible to see tho sky black with planes, but I don’t now. The Hun gave us everything lie had, but it was returned with interest, and I. think our scoring was a little better than bis. It has to be remembered that wo were not pushed out of Crete; —we were blown out, and that is saying something. “Both Greece and Creto aro lovely countries. The people treated us well and the women are amongst the most beautiful we have seen so far. There is plenty of wine there, too, some good and some not so good.” Private Sim goes on to describe a forced march over the hills of Crete, involving G2 miles, tho men being footsore and very tired. The march ended on a beach, where the sight of boats waiting to take them off to Egypt was a most welcome one. At Alexandria leave was granted and the men spent most of it eating and sleeping—with seven meals a day in contrast with severe rations experienced in Crete where from eight or 10 men existed on a tin of bully beef and two biscuits daily for a time. “We wore in Alexandria the night of the big air raid and 1 did not feel too comfortable. The anti-aircraft guns were blazing away all night long and we could hear the burst of an occasional bomb. In one street the damage was terrific.

“Most of us lost all our pefsonal gear once the lighting started in Crete and since coming back we have had to spend a few pounds purchasing gear the army does not supply. A smoke was a luxury, too, during our last few days on that island, and for about three days we borrowed cigarettes wherever we could. Once on the boats, however, the Navy supplied them liberally.

“I have seen quite a few of tho local boys here—J. Telford. T. Prendergast, J. Strawbridge, S. Sauer, W. Gleeson, C. Wilson. J. Nicoll, K. Marsh, B. Bell, It. Hosken and J. Lamont. The heat here is terrific now, and for some reason we seem to notice it more than we did last year. The summer is still to come and at the present time (July 2) the flies delight in giving us trouble, especially during our afternoon sleep.” The writer concludes bv saying he is fit and well.