IN THE DESERT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23809, 9 November 1940, Page 9

IN THE DESERT

AUSTRALIAN TROOPS £ VERY SEVERE CONDITIONS ARRIVAL OF REINFORCEMENTS (From the Acting . Commonwealth Official War Correspondent.) ALEXANDRIA, Nov. 4 For two days last week, the Australians experienced desert conditions at their worst, with a raging northeasterly wind carrying tons of dust and sand, in its wake. Vision-was restricted in the immediate vicinity for most of the time, while Tiot gusts whipped round the troop^.

Dust wn.s everywhere—in eyes, ears, food, and blankets. Men's hats, clothing, fnces and arms were covered with fine white powder. Living conditiona in the Western Desert are the hardest experienced yet, but they are accepted cheerfully. The men eat in the open from mess tins. ."*

Early on Saturday, the temperature dropped, and an unexpected shower of rain fell, laying the dnstl The Weather became bright and clear. The men laughingly beat the dust from their clothing, armed with the knowledge that they had experienced the worst possible conditions. The recent arrival of reinforcements in .the middle of the night resulted'in' the-.usual "leg pulling." The duty officer of one battalion • was amazed tosee one large party marching to breakfast, out of the morning fog. in full battle order. Then he realised that jokers were at work. New troops, less than two months from home, nre inundated with, questions on every subject from football to politics. Lieutenant- General Sir Thomas Blarney, General Officer commanding the A .I.F. abroad, spent Saturday making a general inspection.

TRAINING AS SNIPERS A HAZARDOUS TASK SPECIALLY SELECTED MEN WORK JN THE LAST WAR [from our own correspondent] SYDNEY, Nov. 7 Specially selected men from A.T.F. battalions in the Western- Desert, Egypt, are being trained as snipers,', wrote the war correspondent of:/the Sydney Morning Herald from . Alex-r andria on November 4.

The: training consists not only . of. marksmanship, for which a special snipcjr'.s yflo is used,, but also of what is .termed '"fieldaraft." Tins involves a knowledge of camouflage, the use of; ground, and the best methods of cealment.

Some attributes' which n good sniper must possess cannot be taught. Chief among these is infinite patience. He must have the ability to remain motionless, perhaps for hours on'end, until n suitable target presents itself. The sniper fights an individual war. He is, a •hunter," whose quarry is not beasts, but humans. Skilfully concealed, camouflaged, and armed with a rifle in whose use he is expert, he watches enemy positions until he sees a"target. Then he fires-a single : shot, and the vigil recommences. If nn incautious move betrays his location, he probably-will pay for it with his life, for a "sniper is worth the . attention of a machine-gun or. even heavier armament. It is a hazardous job, calling for plenty of nerve and coolness.

The sniper's task is to embarrass t-lie enemy as much as possible, and to prevent accurate obervation by forcing tliem to keep their heads down. In positional warfare, one pood sniper may well be as effective as a platoon of riflemen.

The effective use made of snipers by both sides in the war of 1914-18 will be recalled. Australians then showed that they bad a peculiar aptitude for this work. Both at Gallipoli and in France, the A.I.F. produced many famous exponents of the craft. A clay spent in watching snipers of to-day's A.I.F. practising leaves'one no doubt that they will wear their fathers' mantle worthily.