Scenes Of Confusion Tel Own Story

Northern Advocate, 26 December 1940, Page 8

Scenes Of Confusion Tel Own Story

(From the Official War Correspondent With the N.Z. Forces in the Middle East).

WESTERN DESERT, December 24,

Scenes of confusion, telling their own story of the utter rout of the enemy in the Sidi B.arrani area, formed the background of experiences enjoyed by New Zealand regimental transport drivers in a long supply expedition.

The convoy of trucks passed through several large Italian forts and defended camps littered with vehicles, .armaments, supplies and equipment of all kinds. The camps seemed crude in comparison with our own scientificallyplaced and skilfully-camouflaged defensive positions. Some consisted ol rough stone buildings within a wide circle of tank traps. Others were partly dug into ground similarly ringed with tank obstacles and gun positions. Others Dug, Too! “We are happy to see that we are not the only ones who have been digging,” .remarked one New Zealander, as he was passing' these earthworks. A feature of the camp was the principle apparently adopted, of each soldier being alone in his own canvascovered pit, cooking his own meals, and to judge from the litter, spending many waiting hours reading, writing, and hopefully studying maps of Alexandria and Cairo.

English tank crews who showed us battle-scars on their vehicles, told how at some camps the Italian gunners stood to the last man behind their weapons, while at others the enemy troops walked out with suitcases and kit-bags under their arms, surrendering after hardly a shot had been fired. One man recalled the capture of the huge lorry-wheeled home of an Italian general, complete with furniture. Supplies to Advanced Posts.

Some of us had tea with .a party of New Zealanders engaged on salvage work in a former officers’ mess, which had been abandoned as it stood.

This journey took the New Zealand convoy a short distance from the border and brought the mileage since the truck first left our sector to over 1000.

Ending our first expedition with a hot meal sent from a camp 40 miles away, and eaten with relish in .a howling sandstorm, we made fresh tracks westward to carry further essential supplies to advanced points. One of the most arduous phases of the trip was the night-long drive through the moonlight, the party having no sleep for 36 hours. Today the drivers are back with the battalion, and other front-line units and fellow-New Zealanders are listening with envy to accounts of the journey.