SORTIE IN PYJAMAS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 19 June 1941, Page 5

SORTIE IN PYJAMAS

FRENCH TANKS DISPERSED Sydney, June 15. At 3 o’clock this morning French tanks launched an attack on our line, stated a recent despatch from the “Sydney Morning war correspondent in Syria. They came down to the road from the hills which flank the narrow coastal plain on the east and attacked our positions. An artillery major, who was pulled out of bed, came forward with his greatcoat over his pyjamas and saved “I was awakened with the news that there were tanks in our lines.” he told me. "I took one gun whose crew were the pick of the battery and brought it up through our forward infantry. We moved along the side of the road, in low gear, making as little noise as possible, and when we were about 1000yds from the French slrongpoints I fired half a dozen rounds along the road. “We then quickly moved up another 500yds, on the way cleaning up a house where the infantry told me a sniper had been causing a number of casualties. “It was moonlight, but it was impossible to pick out the vehicles on the road, but I heard tanks revving and opened fire at about. 300yds—well out in no-man’s land, where no gun had any business to be. “We got one tank and two motor vehicles, which went up in flames. The other tanks revved up hastily and made off. I took my gun back as quickly as il could before they made things too hot

for us. “On the way, we ran into a French machine-gun nest and cleaned it up. Then I went back to bed.”