DESERT CLASHES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24776, 28 November 1941, Page 4

DESERT CLASHES

NEW ZEALAND TROOPS SPEED OF ADVANCE THE ENEMY TROUNCED (N.Z.E.F. Official War Correspondent) CAIRO, Nov. 26. Comparatively small activity by the enemy air force, which has been subdued as a result of the relentless work of the R.A.F., has given the New Zealanders for the first time an opportunity to fight an- action on equal terms with the Germans. All things are equal. It is their infantry against ours, and so far the Germans are running a very bad second. They were caught "on the hop" and have been kept "on the hop ' ever since. All day to-day, November 22 New Zealand infantry units have hammered the German lines. Our troops, which are now near the inner perimeter of Bardia, successfully repulsed two German counter-attacks during the day, and are in as strong a position as ever. They fought on the wide open desert, which affords practically no cower from either fire or view. This extraordinary action has so far failed to cause more than half-a-dozen casualties to the New Zealanders. Swiftly Changing Events

With swiftly changing events the British attack takes on a different aspect hourly. Place names mean little in this astonishing campaign. Capuzzo, which was taken only this morning, is to-night forgotten. Whereas Greece and Crete were for the New Zealanders a tragedy and a debacle, the boot is now on the German foot. This time with great waves of Royal Air Force fighters and bombers racing across the skies the morale of the New Zealanders has reached new heights, and they are fighting with that speed and determination so necessary to carry them on to victory. All units are carrying out bold tactical moves, and they have succeeded to date because of their very audacity, combined with skill. German prisoners I saw to-day admitted that both they and the Italians had been taken by surprise. Their stories merely confirmed what Iqok place at Capuzzo early this morning, when a South Island infantry battalion was able to eat a hot breakfast left by fleeing Germans and Italians. Dejected Prisoners The prisoners taken to date, both German and Italian, are of a poor type. Many of the Germans are extremely young, several admitting that they were cr-ly 19 years old. Their uniforms were old and shabby, and they and the Italians were a dejected lot. Masses of German equipment have also been captured. All day long equipment has been coming back, and late this afternoon a German battalion commander's car arrived. Lashed to the radiator was a gold-painted horseshoe, and on one side was a swastika shaded by a palm. Up till noon today the total number of prisoners captured by New Zealanders was 400. When darkness fell to-night the New Zealand infantry continued the battle with the vigour and determination that had characterised their efforts all day. Flashes of shellfire lit up the skies and told of New Zealand artillery pounding the German lines. BULL AIR SUPPORT GERMANS MET ON EQUAL TERMS CAIRO, Nov. 26. Confined for the first few days almost entirely to a battle of aircraft and tanks, the Libyan campaign has now settled down to one of lightning infantry thrusts on the part of the Imperial troops. A tank battle is still in progress. The New Zealanders are playing a role of the highest importance, and when the* whole story is unfolded it will be realised how,much the audacity and grim determination of the New Zealanders contributed to the victory which everyone, from the generals down to the ranks, so confidently await. » For the first time in over two years of war British and Imperial troops have met the Germans on equal terms. Parity in the air has been the key to the success of the campaign to date. Once again it has been proved that the British pilot is infinitely superior to his German counterpart. In the first three days 74 German planes have been shot down or captured, with surprisingly light losses to the R.A.F. Although no New Zealand squadron is fighting in Libya, there are several New Zealand pilots scattered among the units of the R.A.F. in action. Until the time the Libyan campaign started five days ago the Germans had been able to dive-bomb British and Imperial troops without serious opposition. It is a very different story this time. Now it is the story of the "blitzer blitzed." This fact has had a 'tremendous effect on the trend of events. Planes of the R.A.F. have been bombing and machine-gunning enemy transports. They have swooped down on the German landing fields and bembed tanks and troops with systematic and relentless effort. All this has put new heart into New Zealanders. They smile with satisfaction and, metaphorically, rub their hands as large flights of bombers, supported by fighters, pass overhead. After the ghastly experience of the New Zealand troops in Greece and Crete, they are secure in the knowledge of air support and are throwing themselves into the fray on this occasion unimpeded by dive-bombing. So far no big bombing attack has been carried out on the New Zealanders by either Germans or Italians. The position is reversed. The R.A.F. is now doing the bombing.