ENEMY SURPRISED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXIII, Issue 24, 28 December 1942, Page 5

ENEMY SURPRISED

SPEEDY NEW ZEALANDERS

CAPTURE OF NOFILIA (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright.) (Rec. 10.55 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 27. It is revealed that the British and New Zealand force which outflanked the Axis troops at Wadi Matratin drove the strong German rearguard from Nofilia where it was ensconced in a wadi and also the Nofilia fort. The enemy obviously did not expect an attack so soon after breaking out from Wadi Matratin.

The Axis forces at Nofilia were thrown into a panic when British tanks crashed into their gun positions, and 250 w r ere taken prisoner. The tanks were knocked out and the guns were captured. The Germans rallied and continued to resist all day, but at night under increasing pressure they pulled out and raced westwards. During the Nofilia action a small New Zealand force gave the Germans some of their own medicine when it got behind the German positions. They laid mines across the route of possible retreat. Some of the German vehicles were blown up, but the retreat was then diverted along the beach.