WARTIME "SIDE-SHOW"

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22823, 2 September 1937, Page 15

WARTIME "SIDE-SHOW"

Sir, —I was interested in reading the article appearing in the Herald Supplement by Colonel the Hon. F. F. Lawson on the Senussi campaign in "Western Egypt, particularly his reference to the heterogeneous collection of troops, for in addition to those mentioned the following branches of the service were also represented and took a very active part in the engagement, namely, the lloyal Air Force and the Notts* (Hon.) Artillery. His Majesty's Navy was also represented by several monitors and a sloop standing close inshore. I was privileged to bo serving ! with the New Zealand Hi fie Brigade at the time and can well remember the scene at davbreak on Christmas morning, 1915. Having left our base at Mersa Matruh in the early hours of the morning we were within striking distance of the enemy at daybreak 'with the Sikhs out in front and the New Zealand Rifle Brigade in support. An Air Force machine gave the range of the enemy's "battery" by means of smoke signals, and the Notts Artillery made no mistake in finding the target. The warships by this time were shelling heavily and providing an effective barrage for the Australian Light Horse, who were advancing along the coast in order to cut off the enemy from its base and any reinforcements. The details o£ the fighting are not pleasant to recall, mainly because each branch of the service worked with such accurate precision that the Senussi was hopelessly outclassed and suffered severe losses. The next engagement with the Senussi, on January 23, 1916, was not so successful. The heavy rain on this occasion made the desert impassable, consequently the British troops after driving the enemy a considerable distance into the desert, were compelled to return for water supplies without making contact with the main body. Shortly after this the New Zealand troops were drafted to France, where we were soon to learn that the Senussi campaign was after all only a "side-show." L. li. Wilkinson. Tauranga.