DUST AND SMOKE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24134, 28 November 1941, Page 7

DUST AND SMOKE

DESERT BATTLEFIELD_ VIVID DESCRIPTION TANKS' SAVAGE COMBAT CAIRO, Nov. C A vivid picture of the battlefiel south-east of Tobruk is given by th Sydney Morning Herald's war coi respondent, who, with some co leagues, had the unpleasant exper enee of being directly attacked by Stuka dive-bomber. Half a mile from where I write says the correspondent, Germa shells are bursting among a widelv dispersed group of our tank suppl lorries. At times the whole skyline i studded with red-tinged fountains o black smoke, while the thud of gun and the crash of bursting shells mingl in infernal din. Now and again a stra; shell whines overhead with the pecu liarlv ominous note one learns to dread Two hundred yards away a fiercel; burning lorry marks where one of thesi strays found its target. Dive lor Cover Half an hour ago I had to leave in] typewriter and dive for what meagri cover the flat desert affords, while i squadron of Stukas dive-bombed tin area and then swooped down s( low that their markings were plainly visible, to "ground-strafe" witl machine-guns. One of them, apparently mistaking the press car for a staff car, detachec itself from the formation and singlet us out for special attention, roaring down almost to ground level, with its machine-guns rattling. Jt was an unpleasant experience to watch, pressed flat against the ground, the vicious spurts of dust coming nearer as the bullets struck and hear the whine of a riccochet overhead. This was one of the very few occasions on which I had seen the Luftwaffe in action since the British blitz began, so effectively has the Koyal Air Force done its work. Devil's Symphony About two miles away clouds of dust, shot through with gun flashes, show where our tanks and the Germans are locked in a death grapple, tons of heavy steel hurling themselves at one another in savage combats at almost pointblank range. At several points there are high columns of black smoke from blazing tanks which have been knocked out. The thud, thud of tanks' guns adds [to the noise of the heavier- support [ artillery in action to create a real devil's symphony. The area which I am observing was the scene of heavy tank fighting yesterday, and within a square half-mile there are the burnt-out wrecks of 25 tanks, many of them still smouldering. The desert round Sidi Rezegh is littered with this grim debris of battle. Beside some wrecked tanks there are roughly - hollowed, shallow graves, marked with makeshift crosses hurriedly fashioned from petrol boxes. Where it is known, the name of the member of a tank's crew who gave his life is printed in pencil on the cross. Wonderful Spirit One such cross beside a smouldering British tank bears the simple inscription: "Tn loving memory of Sergeant did his duty." There could be no finer epitaph. I saw these tankmen going into battle three days ago, laughing and waving as they passed. To-day I saw some of them limping out in damaged ! machines, en route for the mobile repair j workshops, which follow up the battle. They have battlo-grimed, filthy faces, caked with dust and grease. They are I thirsty and dog-tired, but they are still i laughing. "Wo gave Jerry hell," ono of them : called out, "and we aro still giving it to him," and he gave the "thumbs-up" sign. TANK REINFORCEMENTS j BRITISH FORCES REORGANISE ! i FORMIDABLE ENEMY MACHINES LONDON, Nov. 26 Considerable British tank reinforcements, previously held in reserve, have now reached the forward areas, where Empire armoured formations arc rapidly reorganising, after five days of continuous fighting, to resume their part in the main operation about Sidi Be/.egh. A special correspondent of the Times estimates that British tank losses so far are comparable with the German losses, but the British' have reserves •oiiiing up, whereas the Germans must run the stiff British naval blockade. There is the disturbing disclosure in jonto messages from the battlefield lhat Sernian units possess a number of Mark [V. tanks with heavy armour and a Tsmm. gun. These proved formidable opponents for the lighter British tanks. Mainly as a result of their speed, the \nieriean tanks have suffered the lowest proportion of knock-out casualties. 'Destroy enemy tanks," was the order ;iven to everybody in the field, and all iro now following it. The battle will be ron by pursuing this objective, but lard fighting is still ahead. {