SPECTACULAR INCIDENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 11 August 1942, Page 2

SPECTACULAR INCIDENT

ALL BLACKS IN EGYPT RECENT ATTACK ON RUWEISAK RIDGE (Official War Correspondent) Cairo, Aug. 9. Two well-known Auckland All Blacks, H. F. McLean and R. G. Bush —inseparable friends before the war and since they arrived in the Middle East—were associated in a spectacular incident in the recent New Zealand attack on Ruwkeisak Ridge. Bush has since been posted missing, believed prisoner of war. Both All Blacks were members of the same Auckland infantry battalion, Bush as a platoon commander and McLean in charge of Bren carriers. When Bush found his men being heavily mortared on his sector he decided to swarm the enemy post with his platoon. With a rifle he led the charge and captured four trucks and sixteen prisoners. Further back with Brencarriers McLean could see this incident through his binoculars. He watched the amazing charge without bayonets led by his pal Bush. He decided to go forward to give a hand, but by the time he got there Bush and his platoon had four trucks and sixteen prisoners. Ail was well for Bush and for McLean who stayed behind and searched the captured trucks to find excellent German tinned food which he kept himself and the platoon was living on double rations for days. It had been a good little coup but later in the day misfortune overtook Bush. He was captured but escaped. He took the wrong turning and was captured again. “Now he’s in the bag” laughs McLean. Bush and McLean were like that. They always laughed over each other’s misfortunes. Club opponents for years when Bush played for University anfl McLean for Grafton, they had a rivalry on field that produced many comic incidents on •Eden Park.