DESERT PATROLS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24034, 4 August 1941, Page 6

DESERT PATROLS

LONG-RANGE GROUP ITALIANS STAMPEDED WORK OF NEW ZEALANDERS (Reed, f1.30 p.m.) LONDON, Angnst 2 Details of the activities of one of the most romantic fighting units of the Imperial Forces, ths Long-range Desert Group which helped to destroy numbers of Italian garrisons holding the lino of communications between Abyssinia and Libya, are now given, says a British official wireless message.

After the first pioneer trip by a patrol of two light cars, led by an efficer-explorer who , probably knows more about the uncharted desert than than any other man alive, the great sand sea was crossed for the first time in history by military forces. Three columns of fully-laden trucks crawled hundreds of miles over ridges to make the journey, often sinking axle deep in sand. Confusion and Terror The patrols separated and set off into different parts of enemy territory to spread confusion and terror among the surprised Italians. They pounced on enemy lorries, capturing very useful official mail, destroyed arms and dumps and burned an enemy bomber which had been left undamaged on a landing ground. One party coming back from a minelaving expedition appeared suddenly before the gate of Fort Agela oasis. The sleepy sentry assumed they were Italians and he was silenced before he learned better. Three shells fired into the mud walls of the fort astonished the Italian garrison, which dashed hotfoot out the back door. The patrol dashed inside, removed all the fort's armament and then disappeared into the desert. Italians Taken by Surprise -Another party —a selected patrol of New Zealanders and officers and men from the Brigade of Guards —set out from Cairo to raid Mazook, 1200 miles away. They had arranged to meet, and duly did meet, a Free French detachment which came by camel from another direction.

When eventually they bore down on their objective the Italians were taken completely by surprise. .Again the sentries made the mistake of raising their hands to our men in the Fascist salute. The action was short and fierce. In a few minutes the fort was blazing fiercely, aircraft and stores being destroyed and prisoners taken. The following day the force moved on to the next post, but the garrison there had learned wisdom. They marched out en masse to surrender with drums beating and banners flying.