ANZAC PARTY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23969, 20 May 1941, Page 6

ANZAC PARTY

CYPRUS REACHED HAIR-RAISING TRIP ESCAPE FROM GREECE PRIVATIONS ENDURED (Herd. 9 p.m.) LONDON, May 10 A party of Anzacs posted as missing in Greece landed at Cyprus to-day with a story more hair-raising than any thriller, says a despatch to the Daily Fx press from .Nicosia. For three weeks, dodging across the Aegean Sea from island to island, they kept one jump ahead of the Germans, The narrator of the journey, lying in a Cyprus rest camp said: "Our story really started beyond Mount Olympus when we got the order to retire. Dive bombers kept driving us further into the hills, where there was no food and each man had to fend for himself. Some of ns, however, stuck together, including half a dozen wounded by shrapnel. One Potato for Seven "We lay 'doggo' for six days, watching German troop carriers fly southward. Once we passed within .'!0 yards of a German patrol. The food position was terrible. Seven of us bad one roasted potato between us one night. Then we began to boil two tortoises, but half-way through the cooking, the Germans beejin to show up. We grabbed the half-cooked tortoises and bolted. "Once we stumbled on three men and prepared for action, but they were New Zealanders. Our party grew as other refugees joined in. Greek villagers everywhere helped us, concealed us and gave us whatever they could. Boats Collected "Near a Greek port a peasant led lis to the coast. We arrived at the shore at a spot with enemy positions to the north and south. We waited nearly a weekufor boats, hiding near the shore. We then decided to pool and divide our remaining money so that we could split up into small groups. "Some reached a near by island and began collecting small boats to take them on the long sea trip to friendly waters. One party of officers and men found a Greek fishing smack and using a prismatic compass set out alone. After four days they hit another island, where they secured a steam yacht in which they set out to find their mates. Hair-breadth Escape "On one island they found the main party, famished. Calling at islands all the way across they had got enough food and water from fishermen to keep going. The men cut down their heavy battle dress to shorts and singlets because of the intense heat. "Many were suffering from stomach complaints through eating green fruit, but there was no time to lose because the Italians and Germans were already occupying the islands. One of our parties actually saw an Italian destroyer and two troopships steaming in to the harbour of one island just as they left. Passage Through Dodecanese "Our leaders decided to take the yacht clean through the Dodecanese, resting in bays and inlets at night time ami hugging the coasts in the daytime. We saw Italians ashore and they saw us, but they were puzzled and did nothing. "Now we are here waiting to rejoin our units. Someone is going to pay for that trip."