SUPERIOR SOLDIER

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 207, 2 August 1941, Page 7

SUPERIOR SOLDIER

TRIBUTE TO AUSTRALIANS. GERM AN ADMISSION. (United Press Association —Copyright) (Rec. 5.5 a.m.) SYDNEY, Aug. 2. In every department of closequarter fighting the Australian is superior to the German soldier. This remarkable German tribute is contained in a document captured from a German prisoner in the'Western Desert forwarded by General Sir Thomas Blarney, Commanding Officer of the Australian Troops in the Middle East, to (he Minister of the Army (Mr P. C. Spender).

The document, when translated, stated that the Australian's observation and his ability to draw a correct conclusion were qualities which outshone the German. Other assets were his use of individual weapons, and, particularly in sniping, his technique in the use of available cover and camouflage. The document commended the accuracy of the Australians' sniping, several German n.c.o.'s having been shot through the head with the first shot when making observations from the front line. It was quite a common experience for Australian forward batteries to be firing from the cover of an artificial dust cloud created by motor transport. Mr Snender, said that only 14 per cent of" the soldiers sent abroad had become casualties, and only slightly more than 1 per cent had been killed. More than 49 per cent, of those reported missing had been accounted for. A total of 550 missing had rejoined their units and 2300 were now known to be prisoners.