Advance of the New Zealand Tanks

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 125, 30 May 1944, Page 5

Advance of the New Zealand Tanks

WITH LEADING FORCES IN THRUST TOWARDS ROME (Official War Correspondent, N.Z.E.F.) With the New Zealand Tanks Beyond the Hitler Line, May 28. Attaching pocket alter pocket in the German rearguard the spearhead of the New Zealand armour has knocked out three heavy tanks in the last three days and is now among the foremost forces of the Eighth Army’s thrust towards Rome along the Liri Valley. closely supported by Indian infantry, including the famous Gurioias, tne Ne\» Zealanders have olasted the cerwans out of mortar pits and macinnegun and antitank strongpoints ana capturea scores of prisoners. So close have they followed on the retreating enemy that at one stage they came on a ruined oridge still smoking from German demolitions.

as the j.*e*v 4>ea*autuu;«i, who were tnen witn a force of British armoured cars looking for an alternative route, tney heard the uermans demolishing otaer linages aiong the valley. Where they nave met German rearguard pockets the New Zealanders have lound tnem willing to fight at a distance, but only too eager to surrender once the tanks approacned near them. From among the trees near the main iinand highway to Rome yesterday our tanks fired into a group of houses perened on the sheer slopes aoove tnem. After a few minutes of concentrated 3ueiling the Germans came out and surrendered. Occasionally the New Zealanders have met pockets of young fanatical paratroops who have firßd on their tanks irom distances as close as twenty yards.

One of our tank commanders had an antiaircraft machinegun beside his head on me turret of nis Gherman shot away by a German bazooka shell fired at extremely close range. One replying shot from the Sherman’s cannon completely destroyed the German gun and its crew.

Among the captured paratroops have been veterans of Cassino and Crete. Some of them had been left to hold these rearguard strongpoints for several days with little food or water. An incident as strange as some that occurred in the enemy’s confusion after the El Alamein breakthrough led to the destruction of one Gorman tank, a Mark IV panzer. it was just becoming dark and a New Zealand tank had stopped on the road beside a dull shape thau appeared to be another Eherman, The commander of the New Zealand tank climbed out of nis turret and the crew of the other tank also stepped to the ground. Expecting to meet a Polish tank crew the New Zealander walked towards the others, tie spoke to them and got no reply. Then reaching for his pistol with one hand he felt in the* darkness tor their hat badges with the other. Two of the five men—the crew of the German tank—made off into the darkness and the others surrendered. Backing off a few yards the New Zealand Sherman then put the panzer well out of action.

Early to-day tho New Zealanders began an attack across extremely difficult tank country—sheer rocky slopes or ridges that run in a long chain along the edge of the Liri Valley beyond Monte Cassino and Monte Cairo. Their job is destroying more of these strongpoints through the hills and thus securing the flank of the Eighth Army’s drive up the Liri Valley. Already by following rough cart tracks and in places making their own route directly up the steep hillsides the New Zealand tanks have made considerable progress.