Battle Veteran Tells Of Grecian Escape

Northern Advocate, 24 July 1943, Page 4

Battle Veteran Tells Of Grecian Escape

Adventures and experiences not accorded to many New Zealanders have befallen Sergeant R. J. Moyle, M.M., of Whangarei, who has returned from, the Middle East on three months’ fur, lough. For his action in staying behind with a wounded comrade in Greece, evading the Germans and making his way to Crete unaided, he was awarded the Military Medal. He left with the Second Echelon. In Greece, his battalion became separated from the Division, cut off from supply lines and encircled by the enemy. Though they fought hard, they got beaten back until finally they decided to make for the coast and Crete The battalion was broken up and parties were formed. Sergeant Moyle’s party attempted to make their way to the coast over the 'hills as the roads were in German hands. “We were standing on a hill overlooking a gorge when Syd. Dixon’s rifle exploded, embedding pieces of steel into the lower part of his body. His legs were paralysed and a volunteer was called to stay with him. SydDixon is a New Zealander whose wife resides in the King Country area. There were about 150 men in the party and I volunteered to stay with him. The others went on and were all taken prisoner. Syd Dixon and myself were the only two members of that party who escaped,” said Sergeant Moyle. Travels On A Donkey The two New Zealanders continued on together, Moyle supporting Dixon, who was just able to keep on his feet A 19-day trip was in front of them. After travelling about a mile they came upon a boy looking after four Donkeys. One was a little distant [Torn the others and out of the sight of the boy, so Moyle commandeered it the henceforth it was Dixon’s mode of travel.

The samae day, Moyle and Dixon met three New Zealanders and an Australian who continued on to the roast with them. They struck a village and Dixon’s wounds were dressed by a doctor who had been evacuated from another town further towards the fighting line. The doctor’s wife gave (hem food and they carried on to the coast —a four-day journey. The day before they made the coast, the going became too rough for the donkey so Dixon had to be helped along by .members of the party, and the donkey abandoned.

“There were about 52 in the party when we hit the coast,” said Sergeant Moyle. “We had been picking them up all on the way and we even had i-ome officers among them. Major Trousdale, Captain Saul, of Whangarei, who is now a prisoner, and Lieutenant Yeoman were some of them. On reaching the coast we all split up into parties again. My party consisted of seven or eight other New Zealanders and Australians. Dixon was still with me. We were lucky enough to be able to buy a boat, a 14-footer, for £20.” Escape By Sea In the dead of night, they rowed 20 miles down the coast to a small village. They landed there in the morning and roet a Greek who had fought with the Americans in the last war and was still receiving a pension from America. The Greek gave them food and let them sleep in his cellar till nightfall. They carried on again, marching over the hills to the next village There, they met Major Trousdale and his party, from whom they had separated two days before. Major Trousdale was making arrangements for a fairly large fishing smack to take them to a small island off the mainland Sergeant Moyle and his party camped on the beach for two days till the arrangements were completed. Then the boat was launched and with about 120 other servicemen. Moyle and Dixon, landed cn Anzac morning on the first of a chain of islands off the Greek mainland.

‘‘Walking across the island took us all day, the Greeks gave us food on the way and when we reached the other side, provided us with another boat to take us to the next island in the group," he said. For the rest of the 19 days it tools them to accomplish the hazardous journey to Crete, they slept during the day and travelled at night. Their journey was made more dangerous (oecause they could not keep the same boat. The Greeks were frightened of the Germans and consequently did not wish to be discovered too far away from their homes. No one could tell from a distance whether a Greek’s sympathies were with the Germans or the British. Consequently they did not know till they were in actual conversation with a Greek, who would, if his sympathies were pro-German, report them to the authorities. Finally they reached the last island in the Dodecanese Group. This was the jumping-off island for Crete and consequently the most dangerous. From the first embarkation point to this island, the party had used eight separate boats. Only by the kindness of the Greeks had they managed to get this far. "This stage of the journey was the most difficult in regard to food supplies,” said Sergeant Moyle. "Our food supplies throughout the previous part of the trek were good, though, at times, we had to tighten our belts and think of the apple pies mother made. "We made our way to Crete in a fishing smash and though, we were bombed on the way, the plane did no damage and we were able to reach the promised land safely. We-arrived at the western tip of Crete and were taken by transports, 99 miles inland to rejoin the Division." Bomb By Bomb Commentary Wounded in a bombing' action in Crete, Sgt. Moyle was sent back to a hospital for treatment. For one day ho was in hospital and then evacuation started. Patients who were able to walk were ordered to walk across to the .embarkation point—a three-day journey. "Our transport to Egypt from Crete was the mother ship of invasion craft. This ship had been used around Crete and was pretty badly smashed about but nevertheless it got us to Alexandria. “An air raid on this voyage was the subject of a humourous commentary. On the ship we had a speaker system, working from the bowels to the poop. On one of the two air raids we experienced a British naval officer switched on the speakers and. observing from the bridge, gace us a running commentary on the movements and actions of the Jerry planes. He made his commentary quite humorous and soon had ns overlooking the seriousness of our position. At the wharf in Alexandria they were met by Mrs Percy Chapman, formerly Miss I.awry. of Hawke's Bay. who had waited at the wharf since midnight till the boat arrived at T a.in. to distribute comforts to the New Zealanders. Sg't. Movie commended her actions and said siie was doing srood work among our rroons in tile Middle East.

After a period of training. Sgt. Moyle iook part in the Libyan P.nttle, and afterwards went to Syria, where he made the famous tliree-dav trip from there to Egvof with the Division to block Ronunel. Asked his opinion of the Syrians. Sgt. Moyle said: "The natives are much the same as the Egyptians but they're a little cleaner. They have the usual bazaars and shops y’jiere vou can buy anything you require and. iust the same as'the Egyptians, they will try to press their wares on to you, whether yon want, them or not." Another group of fighting men who received no publicity but did their fob efficiently and well were the Indian troops, who were as good fighters as the Maoris, said Sgt. Moyle. They had been in combat longer than New Zealanders. Tripoli was n very nice place, he said. The bgrbour installations had been blown