Italian Commander Surrenders To General Freyberg

Northern Advocate, 18 May 1943, Page 4

Italian Commander Surrenders To General Freyberg

(Official N.Z.E.F. War Correspondent) EKFIDAVILLE, May 13. All is quiet now along the Enfidaville line. It was only last night, from those hills lying just ahead that the New Zealand Division spurted death and destruction. At 9.15 this morning the Commander of Italian troops in Ncrth Africa (Marshal Messe) ordered his troops, among them thousands of Germans, to cease resistance. This afternoon Marshal Messe appeared in formal surrender before General Freyberg, acting Commander of the Tenth Corps, of which the New Zealanders are part. The meeting took place a few miles south of Enfidaville, where, among olive groves, General Freyberg had his headquarters. Marshal Messe, a short, well-built, trim figure, arrived with his staff, which remained in the background, while the Marshal conversed through an interpreter with General Freyberg. They had come under a provcst escort in a great variety of stall' cars. While Marshal Messe was with General Freyberg, General Liebenstein. Commander of the 164th Gorman Light Division which opposed the New Zealanders at the Tebago Gap engagement, arrived, also complete with staff and conversed fairly freely with the Corps Commander in English. only occasionally using the services of the interpreter. Farewell Address General Messe was granted leave to give a farewell address to both Italian and German officers, who formed up in a hollow square in a grassy, open space and shook hands. Each one saluted in turn. Throughout today the hills disgorged enemy troops in thousands. Their traffic mixed with ours in an unbroken stream from some miles north of Enfidaville. It was only yesterday morning that Enfidaville was being shelled. A great number of defeated enemy decided not to surrender on this side of the front, owing to the density of the minefields, and made their way north to the British First Army. Tentative moves towards submission were made by the enemy leaders yesterday afternoon, but it. was made clear "to them that there would be no terms. Caught In Own Minefield Guns on both sides were firing during the late afternoon, when General Freyberg and his senior officers stood in the gap in the coastal road and awaited the appearance of the first surrendering enemy. This was many hours before the general order to cease resistance.

They appeared with an officer in the lead, carrying a white flag, and lost several men when making a detour over their own minefields. Several hundred more submitted yesterday. The New Zealand Division is regrouping in readiness for its next move.